


Have You Seen them?

by giraffeduelist



Series: Hurting [1]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Child Armin Arlert, Child Eren Yeager, Child Mikasa Ackerman, Dehydration, Grief/Mourning, Heavy Angst, Insecurity, Kidnapping, M/M, Other, Panic Attacks, Parental Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Pulled Teeth, Starvation, Tension, Vomiting, blender torture, celiac disease
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:41:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 27,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28495497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/giraffeduelist/pseuds/giraffeduelist
Summary: What is a parent supposed to do when their three children are kidnappened? How can any parent cope with the idea that their children may never return home? And how can the three small children hope to find their way back to their parents?
Relationships: Levi/Erwin Smith, Mikasa Ackerman & Armin Arlert & Eren Yeager, Moblit Berner/Hange Zoë
Series: Hurting [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2166498
Comments: 20
Kudos: 96





	1. Chapter 1

"Eren, can I be the hero this time?" Armin pleaded as he looked longingly at the bright red cape tied across his step brother's neck. It was special, made for them by Papa last Halloween. They each had their own, or, at least they should've. Eren's had somehow disappeared in the laundry and when Mikasa offered her own to him, that one seemed to have gone missing as well. All that was left was Armin's and it was inevitably going to meet the same fate with how often the brown haired boy played with it.

"I already told you! I have to be the hero because I have the cape!" Eren stood proud even though he was pouting angrily. Armin let out an exasperated breath, not quite seeing the logic his brother insisted on forcing.

"But it's my cape!" The blond protested, his own lip beginning to stick out in a pout of his own. Mikasa stayed silent where she was sitting on the living room floor. No matter who was the hero or villain, she always wanted to be the sidekick. She always said it was because her favorite character in the hero show they watched was the sidekick, but Armin was starting to think it just had to do with the cool outfit she made herself. That, and being able to help out in a heroic fight without having to actually do much talking.

"Dad said we should take turns!" Eren protested, snatching the cape away from Armin's view.

"But Papa said that I can take it back when I want because it's mine!" Armin's frown deepened, small tears working their way towards the front of his eyes. He hated when Eren did this! It was so unfair and no matter how many times Dad told him to share his things -especially the things that didn't even belong to him- he continued to do it!

Mikasa stepped into the fight, her face still neutral but there was a hint of worry on her features. "Eren, we shouldn't fight while Dad and Papa are out." Her calming voice helped to ease the tension, but not by much. Eren was still frowning and Armin wasn't ready to back down just yet, but before either of them could speak, they all saw a bright pair of headlights peer in front the front window. Immediately, Eren jumped up and rushed towards the door, a bright smile on his face as he went.

"Papa and Daddy are home!" He shouted out as he threw open the front door and sprinted outside. Mikasa followed after, her face lighting up slightly with a similar sense of glee.

"Wait for me!" Armin called as he followed behind them, wanting to see the faced of their two fathers just as badly. He had no idea how long they were gone for, but it must've been like and hour or something! He hoped they never had to leave for any work emergencies ever again!

But just as Armin made his way out the front door, his pace slowed. This wasn't Dad's car. Dad had a small blue one with the square lights on the front. He remembered it because Papa always said it looked like a grumpy old man and then Dad would say that the color complimented his eyes. The car that was currently parked in their drive way was a dark color and it was big. Bigger than most cars he saw passing by. It had really big wheels and a large back part that reminded him of a van. And now that he was thinking about this, it kinda did look like their friend Marco's van.

Eren and Mikasa seemed to follow the same conclusions as they both stopped in the grass, too close to the foreign vehicle for comfort. Ever curious, Eren slowly walked up to it, his head tilted up as he tried to look into the driver's seat but the windows were too dark. All they could really see was a shadow but even that was enough to tell that it wasn't Dad or Papa. Papa was shorter than the figure and Dad never wore hats like that.

Slowly, the window rolled down and a strange man poked his head out. "Hey, kids. Are your parents home?"

Something about his voice made Armin feel nervous, like he should pull both of his sibling back into the house and shut the door. The only thing that was stopping him was the thought of getting any closer to those strangers.

"No." Eren answered first. "But they said they were coming back soon!" He answered with a confidence Armin could never have. Why was he talking to them at all? Why couldn't they just go back inside and continue playing heroes? Armin would even be okay with staying the villain, just as long as he didn't have to be around these people anymore.

"Alright. Well, my friend and I are some close friends to your parents. They said that they needed someone to take them over to them right away." Armin felt his stomach turn painfully. "Why don't you three hop in the back so we don't worry them."

As Armin watched the two people smile at them, their teeth yellowed and gross, he called something Papa told him before they left.

"If anything happens, use this phone to call us. All you have to do is find out name under the little person here." Papa pointed to the contacts icon. "Don't open the door for anyone unless it's us, okay? We'll only be gone for fifteen minutes tops, so you guys better stay good."

He remembered how serious Papa looked while he said it. Maybe now was a good time to do that. If they really wanted someone to pick them up, then they would call first, right? They called before when they said that they were sending Aunt Hanji over to baby sit. Then wouldn't they do the same now? Armin wasn't sure. His mind wanted to reason that these people might've been their parents' friends and they didn't have time to call before. What if something bad happened to Papa or Dad and they needed to stay the night at Aunt Hanji's again? He would get in trouble for trying to be naughty, right?

"You're my Daddy's friend?" Eren asked curiously, his head tilting to the side.

"Yeah. We met a while ago, so you kids might not remember. But don't worry. They told us themselves that they need you three over there quickly. Just get in and we'll take you to your parents, okay?"

That seemed to be all that Eren needed before he started walking towards the van. Mikasa looked nervous, her hands tugging on her red scarf, but she eventually gave in and followed, likely more scared that she would be separated from her brother than anything. As one of the men opened the automatic side door for them, Armin began to feel a scream echoing in his throat but it wouldn't leave his mouth. His hands were shaking by his sides and his stomach continued to twist as he felt tears pushing at the back of his eyes. He watched as both of his sibling climbed into the van, seemingly fine with the fact that strangers were taking them somewhere.

"Hey, come on."

Armin jumped when he hear the man call out to him. He met the stranger's eyes and nearly broke then and there as he saw how dark they were. They weren't dark like Papa's eyes, which were grey in tone but held a nice look whenever he told them that they were good kids. The stranger's, however, were dark in a bad way. He didn't like this man's eyes at all.

"You don't want to make your daddy mad, right?"

"Come on, Armin!" Eren called from inside of the car. "What if something bad happened and they need our help?"

Armin couldn't stop his own body from shutting the front door behind him and running towards the car. It felt like someone else was controlling him and with ever step he took that drove him closer to this dangerous car and those strange people, the worse he felt. By the time he was climbing into the side of the car, he felt like he might throw up. The sliding door shut closed before he could think twice about his actions.

There were no seats in the back of the van, it seemed, so he sat next to Mikasa and held onto her tightly. It probably hurt, how his finger nails dug into her arm, but she didn't say anything. She was grabbing onto Eren in a similar fashion and now that Armin was closer, he could see that even the brown haired boy looked shaken. His eyes were darting around the back of the car suspiciously, the cape no longer seeming to give him confidence the way it used to. He was scared and that only made Armin feel worse.

Before he knew it, tears were beginning to fall down his face and soak into Misaka's scarf. The car went around a few turns and each one threatened to throw them across the small space they were in. He couldn't see anything outside the car windows besides the sky and a few taller trees. He couldn't tell where they were going and if they would ever find their way back. He couldn't tell if the area was familiar or not but he was too scared to try and sit up. The car was already starting to toss them a bit and he didn't want to let go of Mikasa.

"It's going to be okay." Eren whispered to the two of them. "They're going to take us to Daddy and Papa. It's going to be okay."

"H-How do you know?" Armin whimpered through tears. "What if-"

"Sh!" Eren hissed. "Don't say anything scary!"

"Shut it, back there!" One of the strangers shouted, making all three of them shiver.

They stayed silent for the rest of the long ride. None of them complained when their stomachs growled or when they started to feel a little car sick with all of the moving around. They didn't even mention when they had to go to the bathroom. Instead, they all stayed as close together as they could, repeating that things would be okay in their minds. It would be okay. They were going to see Dad and Papa. Nothing was wrong. But all of them knew that they were lying. All of them wondered if they would ever go home again.

...

"We're home!" Levi called as he opened the front door. The lights were still on, but no one was in the living room. It wasn't too strange, children tended to leave lights on. Besides, they tended to venture outside around this time of day. It was late enough to avoid the heat of mid-day but also miss the mosquitoes that came out at sunset. It was almost impressive how well they seemed to schedule their playing.

"We brought home some take out, if anyone's hungry." Erwin called behind him, holding up a bag of cheap tacos. It was their favorite and they never got it too often -Levi preferred that their children kept healthy diets, thank you very much.

"I think they're outside." Levi muttered as he slipped out of his work shoes. It was a pain, trying to rush into a reasonably decent outfit as he tried to make sense of their coworker's babbling. Honestly, he had no idea how anyone at their headquarters managed to keep things running with Oluo in charge, but at least they managed to avoid a disaster today. Levi would've referred an earlier notice, but emergencies tended to be more last minute anyway.

Erwin dropped their dinner on the dinning room table before opening the door towards their backyard. While his husband went to check on the children, Levi checked through his phone a gain for any texts or calls. The kids didn't send even an emoji to show that they were having fun, which meant that they were either really having fun, or fighting. Honestly, he dreaded the latter being true, but it was the most likely. It wasn't that the three had any problems with each other. It just so happened that Eren tended to be stubborn, Mikasa tended to pick his side and Armin wasn't willing to start arguments unless he was really upset. He was a lot like Erwin in that way, which made complete sense, since he was the man's biological son.

As Levi begin filling up cups of water for them to drink while they ate dinner, he heard the back door open again but paused when the sound of excited talking didn't follow it. Turning back towards his husband, Levi quirked an eye as he saw that Erwin had returned empty handed.

"They weren't out there." Erwin replied to the silent question. "They might be in their rooms."

"Honestly, I prefer that they stay inside while we're gone anyway. Who knows what kinds of people are walking the streets this time of day." Levi huffed, turning back to his glasses of water. It wasn't a particularly dangerous town, at least not nearly as dangerous as the one Levi grew up in, but there was a recent rise in kidnappings in the city just twenty minutes away and he felt he had a right to be paranoid. Those kids meant the world to him and although he had never thought he would get attached to them this much when he first adopted Eren and Mikasa, they had really started to grow on him. Meeting Erwin and his son only made that family loving side of him show more and more and once they had become an official family...well, he fell in love with Armin as well.

"I would usually say you're just paranoid, but I'd have to agree this time around." Erwin responded as he walked back into the living room. As he walked further away, Levi began placing cups on the table and sorted through the brown bag on their table. They had something for everyone. Two bigger burritos for him and Erwin, a crunch taco for Eren, a soft one for Armin and a gluten-free taco for Mikasa. Really, it was more of a lettuce wrap than a taco, but she never seemed to mind it.

When Erwin returned, he looked more confused. Levi met his gaze, catching the concern in there as well. "You didn't find them?" Levi asked, now growing concerned himself. He wasn't usually one to jump to conclusions, but the house wasn't exactly big. There weren't many places three little kids could hide in. "Where do you think they are?"

"I don't know." Erwin responded, his voice sounding almost distant. "I checked our rooms and the study as well. They weren't even in the storage closet."

Levi felt a cold chill run down his spine. Something started to feel very wrong but he kept himself calm. After years of working in the military, he knew that freaking out never helped, especially in a situation like this. "Are you sure they aren't in the backyard?" He asked, already moving to check himself.

"No, they aren't. I checked both sides. They weren't in the front, were they?" Erwin followed him to the yard even though he had already said it was clear.

The shorter man felt his heart begin to beat faster and faster. He hadn't seen them out in the front. Besides, they know better than to go out in the front while they aren't home. It was one of their top rules and he made sure to repeat it before they left. He knew he could trust them to follow at least that. But his mind started to rush to other places. The more ground they covered without actually seeing a hint of their children's existence, the more his mind started to return to those missing posters he saw posted around the city.

"Did you call someone to pick them up?" Levi asked, knowing that the answer was probably no, but he had to make sure.

"I already knew that Hanji and Moblit were busy tonight and Mike was with us."

Somehow, hearing it aloud only made Levi feel worse. "Then where could they be? The family phone is still here and they would've called if something happened right? They would've called." He swiped through the device a few times, hating the fact that there were no games open either, even though he knew they had long grown tired of those games.

"Levi."

When the dark haired man turned to look at his husband's face, he felt his heart sink with how worried he looked. Those usually refined eyebrows were not pinched with worry and his mouth was set in a thin line. Something was definitely wrong. "What?" Levi didn't care to cover up the slight break in his tone. He was beyond staying calm at this point.

"Was the door locked when you came in?"

It was a simple question, one that could've been just another check to make sure the children weren't outside, but it was one that made Levi freeze as if he were being held at gunpoint. "No." It had felt natural then, but now, he can see just how wrong it was. They locked the door before they left. He distinctly remembered locking it. No one but them and Hanji had a key to it and they hadn't called for a babysitter. There was no reason for the door to be unlocked, yet it had been. "I'm calling Hanji." Levi didn't hesitate to grab his phone from his pocket and spam the call button under their friend's name. This had to be it. There was no other explanation. He would gladly chew them out for taking the children without permission as long as it meant that the kids were safe.

Erwin sat down on their worn couch, his hand falling into his hands in the most distressed way Levi had ever seen him do. The shorter man started to pace the length of their living room, the phone pressed tightly against his ear as he listened to the phone ring once, twice and then three times. Only on the fifth ring did Hanji actually pick up.

"Hey there, Levi!" Hanji shouted, unnecessarily loud but Levi didn't have the mental capacity to be upset about that.

"Are the children with you?" He shouted, not meaning to sound as stressed as he did but he couldn't stop his hands from shaking.

"Wha-"

"Are the children with you?" He repeated, sounding more and more frustrated. "They aren't here -we've looked everywhere. The door was unlocked when we came home. Are they with you right now?"

There was a long pause on the other side and it felt suffocating. Every second that passed felt thick and empty at the same time. He couldn't breathe right and all he could think about was the worst case scenario. "N-no. They aren't with me. What's going on, Levi?" There was shuffling on the other side of the line as Hanji must've been walking around somewhere.

"There was an emergency at headquarters and we decided to leave the kid alone for a little bit and now they're gone! We left for fifteen minutes! Only fifteen, Hanji!" Levi pressed a hand against his face, trying to gather himself despite how shaky he was. He cursed into the hand, hoping that one of those brats would come running out of their room, telling him that those were naughty words and he shouldn't say them. He found it irritating at the time but now, he missed it so much.

"I'll call Mike. Maybe he-"

"He was with us. Oluo, Petra, Mike, Nanaba, Nile -everyone! They were all with us!"

"I'm coming over then. Check around the house some more, maybe they're just under their beds or something? I don't know, but just check everywhere. I'm bringing Moblit with me." The call ended shortly after those last words came out and Levi felt even more lost.

He hoped with was all a joke, but he knew it wasn't one. It couldn't be. The world was far too cruel to let this all play out as some silly accident that he would somehow learn from in a harmless way. As he continued to pace, he wondered why on earth they ever left the house. It wasn't that important. Someone probably could've figured it out eventually, or they could've helped over the phone! Anything that would've kept them at home, with their children. They should've called a babysitter. Hanji might've started up that whole I-owe-you thing again, but it didn't matter. They never should've left the kids alone. The never should've left three five year old by themselves when there were dangerous people out there.

"Levi, sit with me." Erwin's soft voice pulled him just as strongly as the man's solid arm. It took little effort to make him fall into his husband's embrace, the warmth feeling so much better than the cold panic of before, but it wasn't enough. Nothing would ever be enough until they found their children.

"What were we thinking?" He whispered it as he felt his chest become hallow and empty. It made him feel sick. "What were we thinking, letting them stay here alone?"

Erwin shushed him softly as if he were a child himself. "We weren't." Was his simple replay.

As the two of them stayed on the couch, waiting for Hanji's arrival, they both tried to keep the dark thoughts from coming in. Those were the thoughts that wondered if Armin was crying in a dark room, separated from his sibling and forced to endure horrible tortures. They wondered if Mikasa was having panic attacks as she tended to do without her scarf or a sibling by her side. She needed someone and in a scary situation like the one they might very well be in, it was impossible to say if she would be okay. They wondered if Eren was standing strong, trying to defend his family to the best of his abilities, or if his spirit was broken and bleeding from the fear.

Would they ever be okay?


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> I'm starting to really like this idea. I never thought this kind of topic would be so fun. And again I thank everyone who's reading! I really appreciate the feedback you give. It helps me to know how I can possibly improve or what you liked!

Mikasa wasn't sure why she went into that car. All she had been thinking about was how she needed to protect her brothers and going into a stranger's car seemed like the best way to do that at the time. She knew there was no way of knowing what could've happened had they refused, but now, she wished she had risked it. It was better than the fear that she felt in her chest, making it difficult to breathe.

All three of them jolted when they felt the car stop, the engines turning off. This was it. This was the place where they were being taken but a part of her knew that once the side door opened, she wouldn't recognize anything. They weren't going to find themselves outside of their Daddy's work place, that much she knew.

Armin whimpered when they saw the two strangers leave the car, likely walking around towards the side door to grab them. Even the thought of it made her want to squeeze her eyes shut and wish that this was all a dream but the tight grip she felt on her arm and her own clenched fingers told her otherwise. What was it that Papa always said about dreams? They always felt real in the moment, but when she woke up, she would be able to see how fuzzy they were. She hoped this was the case.

They gasped in unison when they heard the side door click and slide open, revealing the faces of their captures. The arms around her began to shake as they watched one of the men hold up a handful of little baggies as well as a package of zip ties. Those were the same ones Daddy used to keep the star on top of their Christmas tree last year.

"Alright, we can do this the easy way or the hard way." The stranger pulled one of the zip ties out and held it in front of them as if it were a prize. "If you come calmly, then it won't hurt as much." None of them moved. They didn't dare respond out of fear. This seemed to be the wrong move because the stranger's face started to darken with a frown as he let out a sigh. "Fine, we'll do it the hard way, then." He huffed before crouching down and crawling towards them.

"Wait!" Eren shouted, pushing forward with his hand out. "I'll go first!" He put on a brave face as he looked the man in the eyes. Mikasa didn't like how he smiled, the zip tie getting closer to them.

"That's a good boy. Now just turn around and I can-"

Mikasa pushed herself in front of Eren, a sudden strength overwhelming her. She couldn't think of anything but the need to protect. She had to protect them. Although she didn't say anything, the dark glare she gave the man was enough to convey her message. She wasn't going to let anyone touch her family.

"So much for that." The stranger said before grabbing her arm and pulling her forward. Mikasa shouted in pain as he head clashed with the rough carpet of the van floor, but she didn't stop fighting. She used her small limbs to try and twist her way out of the man's grip, using her knowledge of action movies to her advantage. She grit her teeth as she pulled hard and to her credit, the man's hand fell off of her, but another grabbed as soon as she was free and continued to pull. "You're a tough little brat, huh?" The man grit out as he pulled her to his chest, pinning her arms to her sides.

"Get away from me!" She shouted, hoping that it might hurt his ears if nothing else. As she was pulled from the car, she barely got a glimpse of her brothers' scared expressions, both of them looking even more lost and scared than before. "Let us go!" She added on, trying to kick her way out of the man's grasp but he was stronger.

Once she was out of the car, the man dropped her onto the hard dirt and she gasped in pain. Her lungs sputtered, making her loose her breath for a moment. The strangers didn't seem to care in the least as they pulled her arms behind her back painfully and secured them into place with a sharp zipping sound. The plastic of the zip tie dug into her wrists but the more she tried to wiggle away, the more it hurt. Her shoulders were already starting to ache and she was still sputtering and coughing for breath. This wasn't a fight she could win.

"Alright, that's one down. Does anyone else want to follow her foot steps?" The man asked.

There were sounds of more struggling and a scream from Eren before he was suddenly beside her on the ground. He didn't look injured, but he was definitely shaken up. A second zip and his arms were tied back as well. His face twisted with pain as he tried to tell them that it hurt, but no one listened. Now, Mikasa was struggling to sit up, just to look at Armin. They couldn't hurt him too! She wouldn't allow it!

To her surprise, the second boy came quietly, offering his arms up to them and only wincing when they zipped them together. He looked scared and soft tears were starting to fall from his face, but he didn't look up to meet her eyes.

Mikasa didn't get the chance to recover before she was suddenly getting picked up by her shoulders and shoved under someone's arm. She tried to kick and flail but it was no use. They were adults and she was just a little kid. Her teachers always said that no matter how smart or strong she thought she was, the older people were always smarter and stronger. She might as well submit and listen to them instead of causing trouble.

"Let go! I'm gonna-" Eren was cut off short as a plastic bag was pulled onto his head. Mikasa stared at him in fear as she recalled Papa once saying that putting plastic bags on their heads could really hurt them. They could stop breathing!

"Stop!" She shouted, trying to at least get to Eren. She had to save him! They were going to hurt him! "Don-" Just as she continued to shout, a bag fell over her face as well, covering her eyes from the rest of the world. She squirmed and kicked, trying to shake the bag off of her head but it was held in place by something she couldn't quite feel. With every breath, she felt the air get thicker and thicker. This wasn't good. This wasn't good at all!

The world bounced as the man walked forward, her stomach beginning to hurt with how she was being held. Something on his wrist pinched her skin with ever step and the shifting only made her shoulders more and more soar. She wanted this to stop but there was nothing she could do. They were in a place she had never gone to before and if no one was going to come for them after all of the shouting they did, they sure wouldn't come now.

After what felt like hours, they finally stopped and Mikasa felt her body turn sideways in the air. Her shoulder hit something hard as she fell but the scream she let out was muffled. There was another thud after her -that must've been Eren- and a third after that. With a high pitched squeak, something slammed shut and moments later, the bags were pulled off of their heads. Mikasa finally felt like she could breathe again, but the dread that came back to her made her feel nearly just as suffocated.

"This is your new little room. You better get comfortable, because you could be here for a while." Looking behind her, Mikasa saw the stranger from before smiling down at them. "Then again, it all depends on your father's choices. If they pay quickly, then you guys can go home sooner. If they don't...well, we can always figure out new things to do with your three over that time."

The smirk he gave made her feel sick. She wanted to kick and wail again, but it was only going to waste her energy. She had to stay patient and wait for the right time, just like the heroes did in the movies.

As the stranger left the room, the metal door slamming behind him, Mikasa hoped that whatever it was Daddy and Papa had to pay, that they would do it fast. She wasn't sure how long they could stay like this.

...

"Are you sure you called all of their friends? There's not one more person that they could've run off to?" The police officer asked, a notepad open as if Levi could give him any more information.

"No. We called everyone we knew and no one has seen them all day. Besides, it isn't in their nature to just run off like this!" The dark haired man ran a hand through his hair, completely done with having to talk to the police. They were getting nowhere and the longer they stayed here, arguing over where else their children could've possibly gone, the longer it would take to get them home. He had already given his own ideas as to what happened but even with the recent kidnappings, they still seemed skeptical about it.

"Levi." Hanji interrupted, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I'll take it from here. You and Erwin should get some rest." They gave him a little wink that he knew meant they were just going to annoy the officers into leaving, but he still appreciated it. Letting Hanji take over the conversation, Levi left to go find his husband. He hadn't seen the man since the police came over, whisking him away somewhere to likely show them that the house was, in fact, barren of their children.

Levi found him in the children's bedrooms. He walked in just as the two officers talking to his husband were walking out. Good. He didn't want to deal with any more of those people for the rest of his life -even though he knew that was impossible, especially with their job as military workers. As Levi pushed past the two officers, he stepped towards Erwin and stood in silence, waiting for his husband to say something first.

"They..." Erwin started, his eyes darker than they had been in a while. "They said that they were going to check around town and send out an alert. Other than that...there's nothing else they can do." He whispered the last part. Levi let out a pained sigh as he moves to sit next to Erwin. "Levi, I've never been this scared before." He admitted and it was really saying something, considering the horrors they had seem in their field of work. "I can't help but think that we've lost them forever."

"Don't talk like that." Levi interrupted. "They'll be okay. We just have to wait." He wasn't sure who he was trying to convince more, Erwin or himself.

"You're bad at lying under pressure, Levi." Erwin managed to chuckle softly, although it was void of it's usual joy and light. Their entire existence was void of it.

They sat in silence for a moment or two longer before Levi couldn't take it anymore. "You'd think that they would give us a higher priority considering our status. Does it not matter that Commander Smith's children have gone missing?" He said it with a hiss of venom in it. "Maybe they're plotting against us. It's not like our happiness really concerns them anyway. They could be a part of this whole thing."

"Don't be ridiculous." Erwin muttered, too tired to sound stern. "They're trying to help. These things just...they're unexpected. We have no leads and no suspects to work off of. We have so many enemies that they could search half the world and still not get to all of them."

Levi knew it just as well, but it still hurt. Why hadn't they just stayed home?

Their conversations stopped when Levi felt his phone begin to buzz. Pulling it out from his jacket, he checked over the caller ID and frowned when he saw that it was an unknown number. This was his personal phone, which meant that no one should've had access to it besides his close friends. As he stared at the screen, he wondered if it was just a telemarketer and almost let it go to voice mail but he hesitated. What if it was the kids? What if they managed to find a phone or someone to call his number? He made sure that all three of them memorized both his and Erwin's personal numbers for that reason exactly. It could be them...

That last thought was what finally pushes Levi to answer but as soon as he did, a foreign voice met his ears. "If you care about your children then I suggest that you put this call on speaker."

A shiver ran down Levi's spine as his eyes widened. Erwin sat up behind him, seeming to sense the change in mood. They both sat in thick tension until Levi finally did as he was told, too scared to start pushing it now. Once he clicked the speaker button, he spoke into the phone again. "What do you want?" He didn't care this his voice sounded a bit shaky.

"Let's make a deal, Captain. We'll return your children if you give us one million yen per kid." There was a pause and Levi felt his heart sink further. "I'm sure you two can figure something out. You'll have three weeks to gather the money and if you decide not to send it in...well, there are many uses for three little kids." With that, the line cut off and Levi was stuck listening to the a robotic voice tell him that the phone call had ended. Slowly, the shorter man lowered his hand into this lap as he tried to process this. Who ever this was, they had their children and unless they paid more than what they currently had. Maybe if they asked around and used up the last of their savings...

A strong hand came down on Levi's shoulder but he didn't bother to look up at his husband. He already knew the dread that was likely shooting through the man's chest as well. "I..." Was all he could get out.

They sat in silence for a moment as Levi finally thought through everything that was presented to them. "We have to pay." He whispered in the cold silence. "We can ask Hanji and Mike for some help. We can use up the money we saved for that trip to the museum you and Armin really wanted to go to. We can make it work somehow, but we have to pay them." There was no other option.

"Levi, we can't just hand these people what they want." Erwin argued. "We're falling right into their hand and what if they decide to beat..." Both of them fell quiet. They couldn't let themselves picture it. It hurt too much. "What if they don't keep their side of the deal?"

"What other choices are there? Letting them keep the kids while we sit here and do nothing?" Levi finally turned and glared into Erwin's eyes. "They need us! We can't just sit back and hope that they somehow make it out okay when we have the very thing we need to bring them back!"

Erwin looked away, but it wasn't a show of defeat. He was starting to think and for the first time, Levi hated it. He hated how his husband refused to do the simple things because he always thought there was a better choice. "Levi, if we find them, then we can make sure that we get our children back safely. We can't trust these people to keep their side of the deal. What if-"

"What if they decide they don't want to take care of three little kids anymore and shoot them!" Levi stood up, his hands clenching into tight fists. "What if they're in pain at this very second while we're trying to decide if their lives are worth the risk?!"

The taller man didn't need to stand to be at eye level. "Levi, we can't let the enemy succeed in what they wanted. If these were solder's lives-"

"They aren't soldiers, Erwin!" Levi shouted. "These kids haven't been trained to expect the worst! They weren't put through boot camp or trained to follow orders! These are our children! They're only five and they're missing!" His voice cracked at the end of that last comment. Slowly, Levi pulled his husbands hands into his own, feeling desperate for him to understand. "We aren't leading troops into battle, Erwin. We're trying to save our kid's lives. Please, let us pay them the money they want so that we can get them back."

Erwin didn't respond for a while, his eyes shut tight as he tried to think it over. Finally, his lips opened and in a mournful whisper, he said, "We'll gather the money we can, but please...please let me try to figure out a different way."

For Levi, that was enough. "Okay." He relented, feeling the anger and frustration slowly fade from his body, leaving him tired and empty again. "Okay."


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: there are some gruesome descriptions in this chapter, but it’s nothing too bad. If it bothers you then skip over those parts. It’s not too long.

Erwin found that it was incredibly difficult to fall asleep. It wasn't something he was entirely new to, looking sleep over grief, but it was something he hoped would never come back to haunt him. When his late wife had passed, he stayed up for days on end because all he could think about was her. At times, when his insomnia got really bad, he could still see her walking around the halls, her long hair flowing like water in a stream. He would always turn to Levi when he saw things, seeing the comfort he knew he could get from his husband.

Now, though, he wasn't kept up with images of someone he still loved but would never see again. Instead, he was imagining the things their precious children were doing at that very moment.

As Armin's biological father, he knew just how often the boy tended to get stressed easily. Overwhelming information or situations usually ended in tears and a lot of needed comfort. He was a fragile boy, despite his brilliance and both him and Levi were more than willing to offer that affection to him. But all Erwin could think about was how scared the boy might have been at that very moment. There was no one there to help him if he broke down.

His mind also fell towards Mikasa. She was brave and strong, stronger than most kids her age when she really put her mind to it, but she was insecure. She needed someone around her to make her feel safe. It was a result of her past and being handed down between foster homes until she was able to settle with Levi and Eren. She needed someone by her and if those horrible people decided to split the children up...there was no telling how something like this could effect her.

Erwin also thought about Eren. He wasn't as close to the boy simply because they were polar opposites, but he understood the boy's ambitions and need for justice. It was strange, seeing someone so young have a clear understanding of the world around him. He was smart but used it in other ways. The only real issue Erwin had with him was his tendency to lash out when he got emotional. Was he currently being punished for talking too much or for challenging someone who could do horrible, horrible things to him? He was so small and even with Mikasa by his side, there was no way he could stand against a grown adult who meant to hurt them.

"You're thinking too loud." Levi groaned as he turned around to properly face Erwin. "It's keeping me up."

"I'm sorry, Love." Despite his apology, he still couldn't quite think of how to shut off his mind. There was too much to think about and all of it centered around their lost kids. "I don't know how to stop." He admitted weakly.

As per usual to their routine, Levi sat up and turned on the bedside lamp. Orange light poured over them as they both looked at the dark blue sheets with an empty feeling. Finally, Levi turned to him again, a hand reaching out to grip his own. "This sucks." He states simply, the exhaustion written all over his slumped frame. "I always focus on not regretting my choices, but I can't stop myself from wanting to go back. It could've been so easily avoided."

Erwin understood the feeling, although, he knew it wasn't the same. Levi was someone who could've been full of regrets had he not learned to accept the outcomes of his decisions. Erwin just learned to live with the weight on his shoulders instead, bearing it all as he pressed forward. But this was too large of an outcome to just accept and press forward. They had the chance to do something about it this time, but just thinking of handing over that amount of money made Erwin feel nauseous.

"I'm not going to wait for you." Levi added on. "The moment we get enough money, I'm sending it in."

Ah, this again. They had already spent another hour arguing about it before going to bed. "I know." Was all Erwin could say. "I won't stop you, but if I come up with something else before then...something better..." He slowly turned to look at his husband in the eyes, not faltering from the glare. "Then you will follow me through it. Just like you always do."

Levi looked at him for a long moment, his face dark from how the light shinned right behind him, but it wasn't hard to miss how broken he looked. They wore the same expression; felt the same pains. "I'll follow you." Was Levi's reply. "But you better stop wasting time. If any one of our kids gets hurt because of you, I won't shift the blame."

"I wouldn't want it any other way." He deserved that blame. He deserved any punishment he got from this. If one of them came back hurt...he wouldn't be able handle it without some kind of punishment. Getting off without at least Levi's wrath would feel like getting away with a crime.

The two of them stayed silent as they breathed together. They hadn't made any ground on finding their children, but it still made Erwin a little more hopeful. Another moment passed before Levi seemed to give in and laid back down. He seemed to calm and calculated for someone who had just lost their children. He knew there was a storm inside, but at least Levi hid it well. Erwin was a mess inside and out.

"I think...I want to spend the night in my study." Erwin managed to get it out before pulling the blanket off of his body. He obviously wasn't going to get any sleep, so he might as well get something done. Like Levi said, he couldn't just waste his time dreaming about what they could do. He was the commander and knew better than anyone that dreams didn't get people to safety. Dreams didn't win battles.

Levi didn't respond, only reached forward and turned off the light again. Erwin took that as his signal to leave and stood up from the bed. The air around was cold despite it being late spring. He grabbed his reading glasses off of his nightstand and left for his study.

For Eren, Mikasa and Armin, he would stay up weeks in a row if it meant they would return home safely.

...

Eren sat against the metal door, listening in for any movements. Mikasa was close by his side while Armin sat on the old, filthy blankets they were offered. It didn't take him long to notice that they only made him colder and he's rather stay awake them sleep on the yucky floor anyway. Papa would be really disappointed in them if he found out how messy they got their clothes.

"Eren." Mikasa whispered in a low voice.

"Sh!" Eren hissed, giving her a glare before turning back towards the door. He had a plan to escape and all he had to do was wait for the right moment.

"Eren, no one's coming." Armin interrupted him from the other side of the room. He wasn't very far by any means. Eren could just lean forward a bit and already reach him with his arm stretched out. Daddy would hate to see the room. He preferred big, wide spaces. That's why his study had lots of windows and plants inside. Because he had the space.

"I said shush!" Eren snapped, his voice too loud for a whisper but he tried. "You're going to ruin my plan by blabbing all the time."

Armin's eyebrows pressed together as he frowned. "No." He argued, his legs pulling close to his chest. "How can I ruin the plan if I don't even know what it is?"

This time, Eren actually turned around to glare at his brother. Why couldn't he just shut up for once? For someone who was supposed to be really smart, he really didn't know when to stop talking. "Fine. I'll tell you the plan, but then you have to be quiet." He looked at Mikasa as well, knowing that she might protest as well. She always tried to baby him. Once he got a nod from both, Eren sat up with some difficulty. "Alright. So, once someone comes to give us some food or whatever, we're going to rush out the door as soon as it opens and escape. Then, we can find a phone and call Daddy and Papa to come get us."

"But Eren-"

"You said you'd be quiet!" Eren huffed out, his hands burning as he shifted. The ties around his wrists kept rubbing his skin, making it sting and itch uncomfortably. If it looked the same as Mikasa's, then they were probably red too. Armin's wrists were fine, though, because he didn't even try to fight back.

His brother's frown deepened as he looked between the door and Eren again. "We can't escape like that. They'll catch up and then what? They might hurt us after that."

"So?! At least I'm doing something! You never fight back, even if they're trying to hurt us! Maybe if you weren't such a baby, we would've been able to escape!" Just remembering how Armin gently stepped out of the car and offered up his own hands to them made Eren angry. Why didn't he fight? He could hear Mikasa shouting even after they put the bags on their head.

"What?" Armin's face changed as his eyes grew big again, almost like he was going to cry. "There's no way we could've gotten out! They're a lot bigger than us! Besides, you were the one who went into the car in the first place! We could've gone back inside and stayed safe!"

If Eren could stand up, he would've. This wasn't his fault. "I was scared, okay?!" Eren argued, feeling his anger grow. "I didn't wanna go, but if they were telling the truth, then Papa and Dad would've been really upset!"

"Eren." Mikasa whispered again, sounding more urgent this time, but he didn't listen.

"But that doesn't matter now, because they took us!" Armin argued, ignoring Mikasa's warning. "Besides, Papa said that we had to call-"

"Shut up!" Eren panted as he struggled to get onto his knees. "You probably won't even get in trouble when we get back home because Papa and Dad love you more! You're so special and smart and everyone loves you! I'm always the one that's getting in trouble!" Just remembering how he would get put into time out when Armin was kissed and hugged made him want to scream. Why didn't they love him like they loved Armin? Why didn't anyone like him?

Immediately, Armin's face fell again, his eyebrows pointed up. As he spoke, his voice was gentle and soft. "That's not true, Eren. They love you too. It's ju-"

He didn't get the change to finish before the metal door suddenly flew open. One of the bad men from earlier came in with a deep frown on his face. He looked like an evil villain, glaring at them. All three of them fell deathly silent as they just stared. "Hey! Which one of you brats is fighting?" He looked between them and Eren felt his heart sink. It was his fault and he was going to get in trouble again.

The bad guy looked at them again, seeming to grow even more upset when no one answered. "I'm gonna start counting if no one speaks up. Then, you'll really regret making so much noise." His frown turned up into a sick smirk as he began counting down. "Five."

No one dared to look away from him.

"Four."

He said it louder this time, a hand slowly moving to his belt.

"Three!"

He looked between them, but no one moved.

"Two!"

The hand at his belt clicked something open and a blade was drawn out. Eren's heart nearly stopped completely.

"O-"

"I did!" Armin shot up, his back arched with how tightly his hands were tied behind him, but he still managed to stay balanced. His eyes were wide with tears pooling at the edges. His gaze was unwavering despite his obvious fear. "I started the fight."

"Should've known it was the smallest one." The man muttered before stepping closer. Mikasa moved to block or attack or just to do something, but she fell onto her face and shouted when her shoulders pulled painfully at her wrists. Eren couldn't breathe as he watched the man grab Armin with his free hand and march out, not caring that the boy could barely keep up. "You'll learn to keep quiet for now on." He say before walking out and slamming the metal door behind them.

Eren didn't move, his mind stills trying to process everything that had just happened. His heart was beating out of his chest, making the ribs around it ache. They were fighting and now Armin was going to get punished. It wasn't even his fault. If Eren had just calmed himself before acting out...what was going to happen to him? As the realization of all that could happen to his brother came to him, Eren began struggling to stand. He tried to look out of the small window but he was too short to reach it. "Wait!" He shouted, hoping that it wasn't too late. "It was me! I started it! Don't take-" Eren choked on the lump forming in his throat. "Don't hurt him!"

There was no reply. Not even the sounds of walking could be hear anymore. They were gone.

"Eren." He turned his head towards his sister, swallowing when he saw that she was equally as scared as he was. Tears were already starting to fall from her shocked eyes. "What are they going to do to him?" She slowly looked up to meet his gaze, another trail of tears falling down her cheek. "Are they really going to hurt him?"

He didn't know how to respond. He was never the best at comforting people -that was always Dad's strong point. Slowly, Eren sat back, acting as a stable place for her to lean against. "I don't know." He answered honestly. "But if they do, I'll make them pay." His voice lacked any real anger, his mind too exhausted to really put venom into it, but it was a promise he planned to follow through on. "If they hurt him, I'll make sure they never see the light of day again."

...

They started to hear screams. At first, it was faint and a little muffled, but then, they grew louder and louder. Although neither child said anything aloud, they knew who they belonged to and it hurt. It hurt so much to know that something bad was happening to Armin and they couldn't do anything about it.

Mikasa began to shake as she held Eren closer, her cheek pressed into his filthy shirt. Eren hold her tighter as well, needing something to distract from the deep sense of dread he felt. He tried to press his hands against his ears to stop the sounds, but they kept coming in no matter how hard he pressed. They both started to cry, either out of fear or grief, they weren't sure. All Eren knew was that this was his fault.

If he had just explained their plan better...or if he had just listened to Armin for once, this wouldn't have happened. Armin was smart. Daddy always said so, but he didn't want to listen. Now, he was trapped in a cold room, wondering what they were doing to his brother. Images of horror movies played through his head. He remembered sneaking out of bed to see what movie Dad and Papa were watching together. It was a scary one with lots of blood and weapons. He remembered not being able to sleep after hearing how the lady screamed when the killer cut off her arms.

What if that's what they were doing? He felt sick just thinking of it, but Armin didn't usually scream for nothing. Sure, the boy cried a lot and screamed when he got scared, but it was nothing like this. In that moment, it sounded like Armin was getting ripped apart with heavy chainsaws. The only reason why Eren doubted that logic was because he couldn't hear the humming of the machine. The chainsaw Daddy used for the tree outside was really loud, louder than when Eren talked. There was no way they wouldn't be able to hear it.

It didn't take long for the screams to begin getting softer and softer, but somehow, that only made Eren feel worse. People got quieter when they died. He had seen enough movies to know that. Whenever someone was about to die, they got really quiet, speaking in a soft voice before they finally died.

"Mikasa?" Eren asked, feeling his throat choke up again. "Do you think they-"

"Don't!" She shouted, making his ear hurt. She began shaking harder now, her grip painfully tight. "I can't..." She didn't finish that thought, just continued to shake and whimper.

They stayed like that until they heard footsteps. Immediately, Eren sat up, pushing himself away from the door and onto the ground instead. Mikasa followed after him, her arms wrapping around him only seconds after he left. The footsteps got closer and closer and Eren felt his heart begin to beat out of his chest again. Was this it? Were they going to present the broken pieces of their brother to them like some kind of prize? He thought he saw that at the end of the horror movie. The main character woke up to a box of bloody limbs by his bed and after that, he screamed and screamed until he died.

The door clicked and slowly opened. Eren held his breath, preparing to attack.

He never got the change. The moment he saw Armin standing in the doorway, they both froze. He was okay. Or, at least he was whole. His eyes were focuses on the ground, but it looked like he wasn't really seeing anything at all. His hair was a mess, tangled in the back mostly with several hairs poking out. There were tear tracks still running down his face.

The man pushed him forward, making Armin fall onto his kneels but neither of them could really catch him with their arms tied behind their backs. Eren looked over Armin a second time but looked up at the man again when he saw nothing immediately wrong. The man smirked as he looked down on them. "Maybe that will teach you all a lesson. Next time, I won't be so merciful." With that, the door slammed shut again.

"Armin!" Mikasa pushed herself up with a bit of struggling but once she was on her knees again, she looked over him. Eren did the same, his heart falling as he finally noticed that The boy was clutching his left hand.

"What did they do?" Eren asked, his eyes not leaving that hand. Did they...did they break something?

Armin didn't answer at first, his gaze continuing to stay on the ground until he finally let out a sob and curled into himself. Eren gaped as he watched, not sure whether to be shocked from the response or confused. Armin began talking before either of them could ask again. "They..." He swallowed. "They yelled at me for starting fights a-and said I had to get punished for wasting their time." His voice cracked at the end of the sentence. When he spoke again, his voice was strained and soft. It sounded so broken. "They were going to put my hand in a blender."

Eren felt his heart drop. Just imagining it was enough to make him overwhelmingly nauseous.

"They held my hand so tight..." He began to shake, just like Mikasa had. Slowly, he held his hands up, letting them see the damage that had been done. "And then it cut me."

The tip of his middle and index fingers were cut off. It wasn't much, just the very top of the skin, but it was bleeding a lot. He already had stains on his sweater and there was nothing around for them to stop it. They didn't have any of those Peanuts band-aids Papa always got them. They didn't even have the boring old tan ones either.

Armin slowly pulled his fingers back as he continued to sob into the ground. "I t-thought...I was so scared." He whispered it, his voice cracking again. Neither of them had open arms to comfort him, but Eren did his best as he pressed his forehead against the light blond hair.

"We'll get out of here, Armin." He whispered it, feeling a new sense of determination. He would never break this promise. "Even if Papa and Daddy can't find us, we'll find a way out. I won't let them hurt you again."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow. I never expected this story to be so good for character studies! I honestly really like the change in point of view. I'm typically none to keep a consistent point of view when it comes to longer stories, but this one kind of needs it. Also, I remember watching a movie were these guys were threatening to cut off someone's hand in a blender and I've been horrified ever since. So here's me sharing a bit of that trauma.


	4. Chapter 4

When Levi stepped into his husband's large study, he didn't expect to see the man laying on his back in the middle of the room, his laptop set next to him and an array of papers scattered everywhere else.

Erwin was a fairly clean man. Levi wouldn't have married him if he weren't, but he did tend to leave things out: a paper on the coffee table, a pen on his nightstand, a book left out from hours of reading. Levi always thought it came with being smart. There was a myth that those with faster minds were typically messy, but this...the scene before him now was something entirely different. This was the result of a mental breakdown.

"Hey." Levi announced his presence as he walked in, feeling the irritation already begin to creep in. "Aren't you supposed to be doing something?" He asked, not caring to keep the bite out of it.

Erwin slowly sat up, his eyes puffy and slightly red. His hair was in a mess and although Levi had the urge to fix hit, he resisted. It was his stupid husband's idea to think of some other plan for this situation. He deserved all the heart ache he got for wasting their time.

"And here I thought you would actually be dedicated to helping them." It stung in the way Levi intended it to.

"I..." Erwin started, his hands slightly shaky. It was probably from fatigue. "I don't know what to do. I've thought of everything. Every situation where they could come out alright, but none of them can be used. Most of them work on the hope that these people don't actually want to hurt them and we both know that isn't something we can work on. We have to assume the worst."

Levi knew this process well. Erwin would go through the scenarios before picking and choosing the ones that were most likely. He was a brilliant man, but these sorts of things took time and they didn't have that. "Well, what do you have so far?" Levi asked, allowing himself to give his husband at least a little comfort. They weren't enemies, after all.

"I was thinking of manipulating our trade off but...we don't even know how it would play out. There's no way they'd be stupid enough to just let us walk into their base or even meet them privately. They could easily turn around and hurt the children and I can't let that happen."

That made sense. Levi hadn't really bothered to try and trace the number, not after the police had already come up empty. Whatever number called had either been terminated or was securely hidden. These were professionals and they were sure to be thinking of the same things they were. They didn't want anything going wrong.

"I need more information." Erwin admitted. "I need a name, location, a description even! Just something that could help us start a search for these people, but we don't even know what kind of car they used to take them!" The blond let out another sigh. "They could already be gone."

Levi didn't want to hear it. He didn't want to think of his precious children's clothes soaking in their own blood. He didn't want to image Eren's shocked expression after getting beaten to death. Or Mikasa's pale skin contrasting against the velvety liquid. Or how Armin's hair would dye to a slightly reddish color. He didn't want to think about it, but this was his reality. They could already be too late and not even know it.

Swallowing hard, the shorter man knelt down as he picked up a few papers. They were the police documents off of their case. No one had testified to seeing a thing. Not even their neighbors had given up information. It was as if everyone magically fled the area, giving these people enough time to take their children and leave undetected. It was frustrating and with every reminder that they could've easily avoided this, Levi couldn't help but regret his decisions.

"I know I said I'd follow you..." Levi started, already beginning to dread how this would change their relationship. "But I'm not wasting any time in getting the money. I've already talked to Hanji about starting a donation. They could get the money we need by the end of the week, if we're lucky." He took a moment to look Erwin in the eyes. They were right next to each other, but somehow, Levi felt as if they were miles apart from each other. "I can't bare to watch you scramble for ideas like this. You're making a mess and it's leading nowhere. There's no one else who could possibly give us more information. No one else who could be a witness."

Erwin seemed to understand what he was getting at. "You want me to stop and help raise money instead." He said it as if it were a death sentence. "You don't trust me, Levi."

"Don't make it sound like that." The shorter man snapped, already tired despite the morning hour. "I've followed you faithfully for years, Erwin. Into battle and into parenthood. We've struggled together and it wasn't always easy but this isn't something we can just look at from a different angle. Our children are missing and we need to get them back immediately. There's no new perspective in this. We're being forced to play by their rules and rebelling will only make the noose tighter."

Erwin didn't respond, his eyes looking dead and empty. After so many years in the military, commanding soldiers to their deaths, Levi had never seen the man so broken before.

"Please, Erwin." Levi slowly touched his husband's cheek, trying to feel warmth that simply wasn't there anymore. "We've lost this battle, but that doesn't mean it has to be our last."

Slowly and carefully, the blond began to nod. It almost looked as if he were being controlled like some kind of puppet. His eyes were still heavy, his expression painfully somber. "Okay." He whispered. "I'll help you. There are a few people I know who can cut the time in half. We can get them back."

There was an unspoken agreement in that. Erwin was admitting defeat but just like Levi had said, it wasn't their last battle. They could get their children back, but there was no way they'd let those people run free afterward. They weren't going to let something like this happen to anyone else. No parent deserved to feel grief like this.

...

"Eren, I'm hungry." Mikasa whispered into the dark room.

Eren didn't respond at first, his own mind focused on willing the overwhelming nausea that washed over him away. He couldn't remember when they last ate, but he wished it had been a big meal. Now, he felt as if something were trying to rip it's way out of his stomach. It was worse than when Papa made him skip dinner when he was being especially bad. It was worse than he had ever felt.

"Eren?" Mikasa called again, her body not moving from it's spot, but he could still tell she sounded scared.

"Me too." He whispered back, his throat feeling like it was on fire. They weren't able to drink anything either and with all the yelling he did yesterday, it only made him regret getting mad more.

"Can we eat, Armin?" Mikasa asked, her head turning towards the smallest of them. He was in the worst condition. Although his fingers had stopped bleeding a little while ago, he still looked pale and ready to vomit at any moment. His cheek still had stains from his tears and whenever he whimpered, his voice sounded like it did when he had a cough. His hair was all messy still and his eyes didn't shine bright anymore. It was worrying, but Eren couldn't think of any way to help him. He had tried earlier, when he wrapped the cape around his brother's shoulders, but it didn't seem to help much.

"What do you mean?" Eren asked her, his eyebrow raising in confusion. Why was she asking him of all people? It wasn't like he could tell the future or anything.

"He reads books about things to eat in dangerous places, right?" She asked him softly. "Is there anything we can eat?"

Armin didn't respond. He didn't even twitch. If Eren couldn't see how his chest filled and deflated over and over, he might've thought the boy was dead. It made the guilt return in full force as Eren recalled every way that this was his fault. He was the one who started arguing about their plan to escape. He didn't speak up when that scary man was holding a knife at them. He opened the door and climbed into the van. This was all his fault but he had to find a way to make it better. There had to be a way.

"I don't think there's anything here, Mikasa." Eren sighed, looking around the room one more time. It was all just stone. There wasn't even any moss around the cracks that they could try, even though Eren thought that would taste disgusting anyway.

Silence filled the room like a thick fog, making it difficult for them to breathe. Eren hugged himself tighter, wishing that this could all just go away. He was tired and so, so hungry. If Papa were here, he would make them all something yummy to eat and if they were good, he'd let them get some ice cream as well. If Daddy were here too, he would smile at them and give them a little more time on the TV to watch their super hero show.

But they weren't here. Dad and Papa were at home, probably sleeping in their bed. They could be eating breakfast too, sitting at their table with waffles on their plates. Would Papa think about them when he saw the ice cream in the freezer? Would he think about them when he and Daddy ate alone? Or...Eren didn't want to think it. He knew that it wasn't true because Papa and Dad always said they loved him. They gave him a goodnight kiss and hugged him when he did something right, but that still didn't stop him from doubting.

"Eren." Mikasa whispered again, her shoulder hitting his as she scooted forward. "You're crying."

Eren immediately wiped at his face, angrily getting rid of the water by his eyes. Stupid tears! Stupid crying! "I'm not." He said stubbornly, wishing she would just leave him alone already.

"Why were you crying?" She asked, clearly not getting the message that he didn't want to be bothered. "Are you sad because Armin got hurt?"

"I'm not sad!" He half shouted and whispered. He didn't want a repeat of what happened last time and he noticed that event he whispered aggression made Armin flinch. "I'm just..." How did he feel? Lonely? Scared? Betrayed? "Why haven't they found us yet?" Eren asked, letting his anger fall away as he slumped against the wall. "It's been a day or two, right?" He couldn't see the sun from in there but it couldn't be any less. They went to sleep twice, which means it was two days. Right?

Mikasa looked away for a moment, her eyes looking at the door as if it would give her an answer. "I don't know." She admitted. "I just know that I'm hungry."

Eren ignored that last part. He couldn't do anything to help her feel better anyway. "I'm tired of waiting. We have to escape on our own."

"But Eren-"

"If we wait more, then we might get even more hungry!" Eren half whispered again. "What if it takes a week for Dad and Papa to find us?! All the books say humans can't live more than three days without water! A week is more than three days!" Just thinking about it made him anxious. "So, we have to escape!"

"Sh!"

Both Eren and Mikasa turned their heads in Armin's direction. His eyes were on them before they flicked towards the door. Immediately, they started to hear footsteps and Eren gasped. He tried to push himself up off of the wall, but his arms were going numb and he could barely feel them anymore. Seeing their struggle, Armin got up instead and sat down beside them, his eyes still locked on the door.

No one talked as the foot steps got closer and closer until they stopped just outside of the door. Eren could see the shadows from someone's face on the floor of their room but when he tried to see what they looked like, all he could see was a dark outline beside the bright lights. He couldn't even tell if it was a lady or a man.

Something was tossed into the room and fell flat on the floor. All eyes turned to it before going back toward the person. Something else followed and this time, Eren could tell what it was because of the splash it made. The cup that had once been full of water rolled on it's side, all of the liquid rushing across the floor and into the cracks. Eren surged forward, trying to salvage at least a little of it, but it was no use. If they wanted to drink they'd have to lick it off of the floor.

"Have fun with that, Brats." A mean lady's voice sounded before her silhouette faded and the footsteps grew further away again.

From where Eren was kneeling, he could see that the thing that dropped before the water was a single slice of bread. Without his hands to stabilize him, Eren fell forward until his face hit the ground. His nose throbbed, making his eyes water, but he ignored it in favor of grabbing the bread with his teeth, showing it off to his sibling once he got a good grip on it. The edges were a bit wet and the bottom was dirty but at least it was food.

"Guys!" He shouted between his teeth. "Iz brea'!"

Mikasa leaned forward as well, her eyes wide as she practically ripped the slice in half with her teeth. She got an almost perfectly cut third of it and was starting to slowly chew on it. Armin looked just as hungry but his eyebrows were pointed in worry. Eren was just glad he looked alive again.

"Wait, it has gluten in it." Armin looked to Mikasa, who didn't stop eating. "You can't have gluten."

"Iz okay." Eren reassured him, trying to offer the bread with his mouth. Armin silently broke off a piece and ate it, grimacing at it's taste. Once Eren managed to get the rest of the slice into his mouth, he chewed as he continued. "Daddy said some is okay! Just not a lot."

Armin still didn't look too convinced as he picked at his bread. It was too late anyway. Mikasa had already eaten her part and was moving to lean against the wall again. It wasn't very filling but it was enough for now, right? Maybe they could get more if they were good. At least, Eren hoped that was the case.

...

Mikasa started throwing up a little after they got the bread. Her head was leaned over the small bucket they had, Armin's good hand acting as the only thing that kept her from falling forward. He kept his cut fingers tucked into his sweater, making it a bit difficult for him to really hold the girl up but he managed.

Eren had his face pressed against the other wall, probably trying to ignore what was happening not even a foot away. It was concerning how Mikasa continued to vomit more and more no matter how much came up. Armin just continued to hold her, hoping it would stop before the bucket filled to the top.

He felt useless in this situation. Although he loves reading and learning new things, he never really looked into the books Daddy had about sicknesses and survival. He had never gone camping before and Dad always kept him safe when he was sick, so there was no reason before. Now, he wished he knew how to tell if someone was poisoned or just plain sick. He knew Mikasa wasn't allowed to eat certain foods that contained gluten -it was a part of her celiac disease- but what was the extent of it? Was any gluten at all this bad for her, or did it also have to do with the fact their room was filthy and there could've been germs on it? Armin was feeling pretty ill himself but he was forced to push it away for his sister's sake.

Eren didn't mention feeling ill but he never really sat still for this long unless he did. So, perhaps it did have something to do with the dirt, but didn't most bacteria take longer to start making you sick? He didn't know and there was no way for him to find out.

When Mikasa started vomiting only bile, Armin started to really worry. They hadn't eating much at all lately and that slice was all Mikasa had for a while. What if she starved because she couldn't get what she needed from the bread? What if they all starved because Daddy and Papa weren't going to find them? What if-

"Armin? How do you stop throwing up?" Eren asked from across the room, his voice surprisingly calm.

How could he respond to that? He didn't know! But as Armin stayed quiet, he started to think through what Dad did for him when he was sick with fever. He would eat light soups or pale crackers. He'd take some medicine that made the pain go away. Dad would rub a certain point on his hand that made the sickness feel less bad. Getting an idea, Armin reached back towards Mikasas's hand and began rubbing at the puffy part just next to her thumb. Her hands were eerily cold and her wrists were bloody and red. He felt bad for them, knowing how painful it was to keep the ties on. He was lucky enough to keep them off after...

Armin shock his head lightly and focused again. He tried to rub a little harder but nothing changed. He huffed out in frustration and let her hand go. It was probably too numb to really feel it anyway. Besides, this wasn't a sickness that he could easily take away. She had that gluten disease and they could only wait it out for now.

After a long while, Mikasa stopped dry heaving but she didn't move to sit up. Instead, she curled further into herself and whimpered, whispering that her stomach hurt a lot. Armin gave her a concerned look, not sure of what to do anymore.

"I'm sorry. I really don't know what to do." He wished he were smarter. Then he could just know how to help without needing all of this worrying, just like Daddy. Or he wished he could take this pain instead. He knew how bad throwing up was but he did it often enough that it didn't scare him. Besides, his hands weren't also bound behind his back and he could at least rub his stomach to feel a little better.

"Is she done?" Eren asked, his voice a little louder now. The irritation in it made Armin frown. Didn't he know that she was really sick? This could not only make her throw up more, but it could last longer! Papa once mentioned that she was more likely to get other illnesses or even worse, cancer! Armin knew first hand how bad that was and he didn't want to see someone else die from it. Daddy might not be able to handle something like that again.

"Yeah." Armin answered calmly despite his worry. "She'd done."

"Good." Was Eren's only response.

The room went silent again and as Armin looked at the window in the door again, he hoped that someone would come for them soon. He wasn't sure how much longer they could wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Instead of writing for a different story, I decided to add onto this one so that they could have the same number of chapters. I know, I'm kinda silly that way, but it's something I'm allowed to do as the author. Also, I want to add that the more I search into Levi's relationship with Erwin, the more I'm honestly surprised with how they work together. Lastly, thanks for supporting this story and I look forward to hearing your feedback!


	5. Chapter 5

It took the entire first week to get enough money to pay these captures for only one of their children. It was a very slow process. Agonizingly slow. Their fundraisers and cries for help were met with only a few replies, most people just skimming past with an apology that they really don't have the money to contribute. Levi had even gotten desperate enough to start selling items in their home, but Erwin put a stop to that.

"If we sell our entire house, then what will the children come back to?" He reasoned, giving his husband a critical look. The shorter man turned around, his face already pressed into a harsh glare.

"There won't be any children to _get_ back if we keep wasting time like this!" He hissed. The air around them was tense from many nights of fighting about the same subjects. Honestly, Erwin was getting tired of it, but he couldn't dismiss these arguments completely. They had differing views and although Erwin was already finishing his plans, it still required that they get the money.

"You can't sell those books, Levi." Erwin tried coming at this from a different angle. His husband was always so eager to fight against anything he said these days. "They're the last of their kind. There would be no way of getting them back." There were books he got from his father's secret collections, while others came from foreign countries. There was one in Japanese that he was still working on translating. He couldn't let these go as easily as their useless decorations.

Levi's expression didn't change as he refused to put the book he was holding back into it's spot. That was one of his absolute favorites. It was written from an old English soldiers view on many of the wars they had during his time. He was reading it to Armin before...

"If you sell them, then what will Armin read when he gets back?" Erwin could still see the bright yellow bookmark in between the pages. It was the one he got at the book fair two weeks ago. It had pictures of sea animals on it.

That seemed to be enough to make Levi pause, his own gaze turning towards the book. After another long pause, the shorter man let out a heavy sigh before returning it to it's original position. "We have two weeks to triple the amount of money we've made." He spoke in a calm tone despite the storm raging inside of him. "There's no other way to get that kind of money."

Erwin hated seeing the defeat in his husband's eyes. Levi was someone who could keep his hope in the roughest of situations and battles. He was a strong soldier, the best Erwin had ever commanded...but this wasn't so easy of a battle to fight. There was no country to fight for or an enemy line to cross. This was a direct attack on their home and if they didn't act quickly, their entire family would be ripped apart.

"Erwin, we only have enough for one child. If...if we don't get enough by the end of our three week period, we may have to choose who we get back." His voice was unusually soft. "That, or they'll decide for us."

He couldn't let that happen. He couldn't go to wherever these people directed them to for this exchange just to be told that they won't get all three back. He could never make a decision like that. Just imagining their scared faces made him feel like ripping his own heart out in offer for their happiness. But picturing the scenario where they will have to leave one...He couldn't take it.

They needed that money, but Levi had a point. With how slowly things had gone lately, they would never get it in time. Looking back at the bookshelf, Erwin grabbed a few of them, his heart twisting with each cover that he pulled out and handed them to Levi. He was careful of the breaking ones, not wanting to decrease the value of any of them. By the end of it, all that remained was the one Armin was reading and the Japanese one. The others could go.

When he turned back to his husband, Levi's eyes were wide, his hands holding the pile as if they would break with the slightest pressure. For some of them, that might've been the case. "Erwin," Levi started, his tone both shocked and hesitant. "These are important. We won't be able to get them back, so said so yourself."

"I would rather have children than a pile of old books, Levi." Erwin answered, ignoring the way his throat choked as he stared at the pile. It had taken years for his father to get his hands on some of those. He knew that a few only had twenty or so copies in the entire world. They would sell for a fortune. "I can get Armin other books to read."

For the first time in a whole week, Levi genuinely smiled. It was a small thing, as his smiled usually were. It could've easily been missed had Erwin turned or looked away too soon, but it always filled the blond with hope. If Levi believed that selling those books could bring their children home, then he would sell them.

He could only hope that his son wouldn't be too discouraged with the loss.  
...

Eren lay on his side as he stared at the bricks along the walls. His stomach made gargling noises ever few minutes, but he had learned to ignore them a while ago. His mouth felt like it was full of sand, all traces of saliva gone. His tongue was dry and felt almost like it was cracked in several places. His short breaths only made it worse and sometimes, his throat would close up for a moment or two before he could struggle to swallow something down.

Armin and Mikasa lay beside him, their eyes either closed or also wandering the room. Eren had tried to count the bricks in the walls, but he always came up with different numbers and eventually gave up. It was better to count the bolts in the door instead. That number was usually the same, at least.

"We have to leave." Eren felt his sibling jump from the sudden sound. How long had it been since any of them dared to speak. "Daddy and Papa aren't coming for us." His throat felt raw with only the few words he said, but they needed to get out of his head. They'd die here if they didn't at least try.

Armin slowly shifted beside him, his breaths still slow and shallow as he tried to speak but all that came out was a sick croak and a string of coughs that made even Eren's chest rattle. Mikasa stayed unmoving, her stomach probably still aching from the last time they ate.

"They're giving us spilled water and a single slice of bread ever day. We can't live on that." He might not have read as many books as Armin, but he distinctly remembered one of the cartoon characters saying that people needed to eat more than bread ever day. It was something about keeping your body healthy. That might've been why Eren felt the furthest from healthy that he's ever gotten. Even his fevers were never this bad.

"W-" Armin coughed again, but the fit didn't last quite as long. "We can't fight." He croaked. Eren couldn't turn to see his brother's expression, but he knew it was probably a blank face. His eyes had started to look like glass lately. It made him feel alone. "We're weak."

Eren didn't even have the energy to huff like he usually would. Instead, he just continued to breath evenly, trying to work up the will to say more. "We just need enough strength to run away." He knew it was more complicated than that, but even the thought of running made him feel like passing out.

For a long time, everyone stayed quiet and just when Eren thought no one had heard him, Armin responded. "I think...I can do that." He said slowly. This time, Eren made an effort to sit up but he immediately regretted it as his head began to spin. White blobs clouded his vision for a moment before he could finally see straight again. The nausea didn't go away though. It never did.

"How...How are you gonna do that?" Eren asked between deep breathes. He didn't want the room to stink worse than it already did.

Armin didn't move at all, but his voice sounded slightly less dead. "If you two take my food for a little bit, you might be able to get stronger." He suggested. "I'm bad at running anyway, so there's no point in me getting stronger too."

Eren wanted to argue, but he couldn't. There wasn't enough bread for everyone at the moment and they all knew that. They'd die if things continued this way. "But won't you starve?" Eren asked, his concern dulled down from exhaustion.

"If you get stronger in a few days, then I won't starve." He said it in a way that was almost reassuring. Almost. "I ate today, so I can probably last another week. At least, that's what my book said. Someone survived two whole weeks without eating anything." His voice didn't hold the usual light it did whenever he talked about the books he was reading. Eren missed it, even though he always found it boring. He liked dinosaur facts better.

"I can carry you." Came Mikasa's voice, which made both boy's turn towards her. Eren thought she had been asleep still. Did they wake her up by talking?

"But you'll have to run. Carrying me will just waste your energy." He didn't get a response. Mikasa just continued to lay there, her eyes still shut tight as she held her stomach. Apparently, her stomach pains never stopped now, which was concerning, but this wasn't too unusual for Mikasa. She had been sick like that before the doctors found out that she had celiac disease. Papa had been insistent that they keep gluten out of her meals ever since.

Eren continued to stare at the wall as he thought. But just getting the energy to run wasn't going to do much, right? They had to get out of the room first. "How do you plan on getting us out?" Eren asked, hoping that the blond had at least something.

"We..." Armin started. "We need an excuse to get out." He said it softly. "Even if it's just for a minute or two. We need to get the door open."

That was easier said than done. The door never opened, even when they were getting food. How were they supposed to figure out how to open it? They could...Eren couldn't think of anything that would work. Those bad people didn't come by their room often and when they did, they always ignored whatever was going on inside. Most were only walking by to make sure that they weren't dead yet, something that might end up happening soon if they don't manage to save themselves.

"I think I got it." Armin whispered to himself, his eyes suddenly bright with a new sense of hope. Eren stared in shock at the expression. How...how did he figure it out that fast? "Since I'll be weaker, I can act as a diversion." He continued. "I'll scream or yell or something. Anything that gets them to check in on us. Then, when they open the door to...to get me, you two can run out."

Eren sat up this time, ignoring the nausea that rushed to his stomach. "What?!" He half shouted and half rasped out. It made his throat and head hurt. "What about you?!"

Armin blinked a few times before slowly turning to look at him. "I can figure out a way to hold them off. If we could leave this room at least once, I would try to map out the exits, but we can't. So, I have to trust that you two can find it on your own."

"That's not what I meant." Eren insisted. "What are you going to do to get out? We aren't just gonna leave you!" The silence that followed was too long for comfort. Armin didn't really plan to stay here, did he? He would die!

"Armin..." Mikasa whimpered as she spoke. "Don't."

Eren couldn't tell exactly what she meant by it, but he knew he would probably agree. "We're not leaving you behind just because you won't be able to run!" Eren insisted. "We'll find a way to get you out too."

"Then get Dad and Papa." Armin said, his expression turning exhausted again. "You can find a phone somewhere and call them to get me. It shouldn't take long, so I'll be okay in the mean time."

He didn't like this. Nothing about this plan made sense to Eren. He swallowed a glob of something before answering in the most serious tone he could think of. Papa always said things seriously when he wanted them to stop doing something, so maybe this could work too. "Armin," He started, trying to mimic that stoic expression. "We aren't leaving you. Just...figure out something else."

They stared at each other for a long moment, Armin's eyes still unusually dull as he slowly laid down again. "Okay." He whispered, almost to himself. "I'll think of something else."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took a little while. I've been having a lot of ideas for this story and sadly, it's causing me to ignore a few of my other ones. I just can't help but think of how each character would react to their situation and how things can progress. I'm also very glad that this is starting to get some notice! I was worried that no one would really see it and it would end up being another forgotten story I wrote. That usually happens to my very favorite ones. I hope this can really spread so that other people can enjoy it as much as I do.


	6. Chapter 6

Eren let out a sigh that could barely be heard over the sound of Mikasa's dry heaving. "This isn't gonna work." He muttered. Despite their plan to build their strength for their eventual escape, Mikasa still got sick after every time she ate the bread, which was wasting more energy than she gained.

"I know." Armin mumbled from where he was on the floor. Even though it had only been two days of them splitting the bread between just Eren and Mikasa, the blond was starting to look sicker and sicker. His pale skin could barely be seen past all of the dirt and grime, but they all knew he was loosing color. Even Eren had lost a lot of his given tan.

"Then what are we supposed to do? We're never gonna get enough energy to run away like this." He winced as Mikasa gagged again.

The room stayed silent for a moment aside from the constant retching. Then, Armin's head turned towards him, those bright eyes still dim. "Maybe...we could steal some food." He suggested. "I can get in trouble again and when they take me out, I'll try and grab something for Mikasa to eat as well."

Eren didn't like the idea of Armin having to get in trouble again, but it was their only chance. Instead, he focused on the lighter side of this idea. "Then you could start eating again too, since Mikasa won't need it." He wouldn't have to watch his brother starve.

"No." The idea was shot down quickly. "It'll give you more energy to eat all of it." Eren was about to protest when Armin continued. "Besides, it won't be too long. I can map out a little bit of this place while I'm out and then, you won't have to run around blind."

"But..." Mikasa started, her words squeezing between labored breaths. "But you'll...get hurt."

That was the worst part of this. In order to progress in their plan, Armin was going to get hurt. Eren had offered to be the one who got in trouble last time, but it was shot down. He isn't strong enough to fight someone off and run as well. Both he and Mikasa will need a head start to actually get out.

The new plan was for Armin to get the door open enough for them to run and then he'd race after them. It wasn't too different from their original idea, but it made sure that all of them would be getting out. Eren wasn't going to leave anyone behind, no matter how weak or hurt they were. Besides, they needed Armin to make sure that they found Papa and Dad. What if they forgot the number to call them or what street they were on or where the bad guys were? Then Daddy couldn't call someone to kick their butts!

"It's gonna be okay!" Eren said with confidence, only feeling slightly guilty with how his sibling winced. "We'll be out of here in a few days, right? Then we'll get to see Papa again." They had been thinking about home for so long but somehow, saying it now made Eren feel a mix of emotions. They were going to see their parents again. They were going to go home.

Before he could really think on that revelation, Armin began sitting up. Eren watched him closely, not sure of what exactly he planned to do. It was painful to see how slow Armin moved as he crawled towards the metal door. The entire backside of his sweater was nearly black with dirt, but by this point, no one really cared anymore. They likely looked just as bad.

Armin felt down in front of the door, his chest rising and falling quickly as he panted from moving only the short distance. Eren was about to say something when a small, shaky fist raised towards the door and started hitting it harder than looked possible.

Then, Armin shouted every curse word he had ever heard. Eren gasped, shocked by the harsher ones that came out. He even said a few of the worst ones, the kind that Papa only said when he thought they were sleeping. Eren couldn't even keep track of all of them, but he knew that if Dad or Papa ever heard, they would be very, very upset. He'd probably get extra chores for a month! Even Mikasa stopped to stare at him, her eyes unusually wide as she too gaped.

"You selfish pigs!" He shouted between breaths before continuing again, his banging getting louder. Footsteps could barely be heard from beyond the door and Eren quickly moved to Mikasa's side, squeezing his hands over his ears. He didn't want to know what things they were going to threaten Armin with. If it was anything like last time, then he couldn't trust himself not to jump out and try to help him. So, instead, he shut his eyes tight and closed up his ears so he could only hear his own breathing.

He felt Mikasa jump and guessed that was the signal that the door had opened. He could hear muffled noises, but he didn't listen too closely. Instead, he tried to think of something else. Anything else.

After a short moment, Mikasa tapped his shoulder again, her expression drained. Slowly, Eren let his hands fall away and looked back towards the door. He should've expected it, but it still made his stomach flip with anxiety. Armin was gone and he didn't know when he would be coming back.

His mind tried to question if he would. Maybe those bad guys were so tired of them, that they were just going to kill him. They would never be able to finish their plan without food for Mikasa and a map that lead them out. They couldn't escape without Armin by their side.

"Eren." Mikasa whispered. "He'll come back." She gave him a half hug and he tried not to wrinkle his nose at the smell on her scarf. She really smelled horrible.

"Y-Yeah." He agreed, putting on a fake smile. "He'll be okay."

...

Armin could barely keep up with the man's fast pace, his legs feeling like jelly as he struggled to get them to work. He was panting hard, his energy completely spent already and the more he did, the heavier his chest felt. His heart was beating hard against his ribs, making it feel like the organ was going to fall out.

"You little brat. You're gonna regret not learning your lesson before." He hissed as he pulled harder, making Armin nearly trip. The grip around his wrist was crushing, but he was panting too heavily to scream.

He tried his hardest to focus on the area around him, mentally making a layout of what the place looked like. They turned corner after corner and just when he was stating to loose feeling in the tips of his fingers, they finally arrived to a general sitting area with the other bad people they saw before. He connected the dots and repeated the pathway towards this area to write down later. This was where the exit was most likely to be with how the bad guys guarded it.

"What's this?" One of them asked, dropping his playing cards onto a filthy crate.

"The brat started shouting like a psychopathy." The man holding his arm exclaimed as he shoves Armin forward. The boy didn't have the strength to catch himself before he fell flat onto his face. At least he had a moment to catch his breath. He still had to find some food for Mikasa as well, but he had no clue how he's do that.

"Really?" A lady scoffed, her eyes rolling as she shoved her cards down as well. "Give him here. Maybe he'll learn this time."

Armin tensed as he saw her get closer. He wasn't sure what she planned to do, but he couldn't let himself get too crimpled. He still had to finish their plan and make sure that each of them got home safe.

Sharp nails dug into his other wrist as he was pulled to his feet. Armin winced at how his shoulder ached from the motion but he didn't have time to recover before he was being dragged into a different room. He started panting again, his legs aching more than they had before. His lungs felt like they were shrinking with every breath he took and for a moment, he worried that he might pass out before he even got to wherever she was taking him.

They ended up in a small kitchen. The tiled floors felt cold against his bare feet, but he didn't care much. He had gotten used to the cold of their room's floor, so this wasn't much of a problem. As he searched for something to quickly grab, he saw a bowl of fruits onto of the counter. His stomach did flips at the sight alone. There were bright oranges and round, purple grapes. His mouth began to water at just the thought of their taste, although, he had slowly forgotten what they were like. All he could remember was soaked bread.

"Hungry, are you?" She asked with laugh. "You look like a rabid animal. And over fruit, no less." She laughed again as she brought him to the table in the middle. She pinned him on top, his stomach pressing on the edge of the hard wood as her nails dug into his upper arm this time. He tried to squirm and kick, fearing what she might do. His foot hit something underneath it and his panic subsided enough to wonder what exactly it was.

She continued to press him against the table as she turned around towards one of the counters, pulling out a drawer and grabbing something from inside. He took the moment to slip his unpinned arm underneath and grabbed two solid things from inside. He raised it just enough to see what it was before shoving it into his sweater. Two potatoes were enough for Mikasa to gain some strength.

"Sit still and this'll hurt less." She hissed as he returned her attention towards him. His eyes widened when he saw the large blade in her hand, his mind going back into it's panic. His plans completely slipped from his mind as he screamed, trying to pull away from her, but she held him tightly. She pressed her elbow into his back as she shifted her hold on him, pressing his face against the table while also squeezing his jaw open. As soon as his lips parted against their will, he understood what she wanted and he screamed louder.

"Shut up, already!" She shouted back. "Someone come in here and hold him for a second!" She called out towards the door. Within minutes, one of the men from before came walking in, his expression bored. "Hold him down." She repeated and Armin felt new hands grab him, pushing him ont ohis back this time. There was no chance for him to break free now.

He tried all he could to kick at the man's chest as his last attempt at freedom, but he was like a brick wall. The hand on his cheeks squeezed tighter, prying his jaw wider. His tongue was fully exposed to her. With a sick smile, she adjusted her grip on the blade before hovering it closer to his mouth, the tip threatening to cut his lip as it drew closer.

He tried to to jerk away but they held his head still. He wiggled and moved every part of body he could. The people above him only chuckled mockingly before pressing the edge of the knife against the side of his tongue. As soon as he felt the sharp sting of a cut, he screamed as loud as humanly possible, his throat tearing from the strain.

"Hey!" Another person rushed in, but Armin didn't care to focus on him. "Don't damage the goods!" He shouted.

"What? You don't think the Commander would appreciate us giving his brat a lesson on manners?" The lady laughed, her eyes turned away but the blade stayed close to his tongue, keeping him from swallowing the blood that was rushing to the back of his throat.

"Well, with how slow they're going to get the money, they may not be getting this kids back. Boss has been thinking of just seeking them already."

That made Armin stop for a moment. Wait, they were up for ransom? Was that why Dad and Papa hadn't come for them yet?

"There's no way we could get the same prices off of them from someone else." The lady argued, finally putting her hand -and the blade- down on the table. "They're skinny, filthy and disrespectful. At least this one is." She glanced down at him again. "Who would buy them?"

"If we sell them with the others, then they'll even out."

Others? There were other people down here?

"Maybe..." The lady huffed out. "Fine. I'll let him keep his tongue." The smirk on her lips didn't bring any comfort. "But if he doesn't sell, then I'll revisit this idea."

With that, his only distraction left and the blade returned to it's earlier position.

...

Levi had the money. After nearly two weeks of struggling to get the right numbers, he finally did it. But there was one problem. He didn't know how to contact the person in charge.

"Are you sure the number isn't in there anymore?" Hanji asked from beside him. They were looking through his phone, at all recent numbers.

"I've called a lot of people since then, Hanji." He snapped, feeling the irritation grow. He was acting childish, he knew that, but they were so close.

Hanji let out a sigh as they continued to scroll. Levi didn't recognize most of them. "You really didn't think to save the number or anything? I thought you were supposed to be smart." They said in a huff that was more playful than mean.

Erwin chose the perfect moment to walk in. "You still can't find it?" He asked, his own phone in his hand. He was getting the preparations for the rest of his plan, but nothing could really continue unless they set up a time and place to meet with these monsters.

Hanji ignored him in favor of trying something new. "Here," They started. "Why don't we go back to the date and call all of the numbers on that day." They said before scrolling back up. Erwin moved to sit next to them, his eyes trained onto the small screen.

They started with the first number of the day, which had been from Petra. She liked to call Levi in the mornings to keep updated with their plans, even though she could've easily gotten that from Oluo.

The next few were calls he made at work, as well as one from Eren's school to ask if he could drop off the backpack his child left at home. Again. At the time, he had been frustrated that one child could be so forgetful. He remembered lecturing the boy on how important it was to be independent and that forgetfulness often led to more trouble. It didn't turn into a fight, but now that Levi was looking back, he could've eased up on the boy. Eren was only five after all and the kind of school they went to never really made them bring homework back. It was something so innocent, yet Levi treated it like his future depended on it.

Now that he thought about it, he tended to get after Eren a lot. It might've been because he tended to act on his emotions before thinking, but that wasn't an excuse to lecture him for the smallest things. He was an child driven by his feelings and beliefs. He pressed towards his goals with an almost frightening determination and it was something most others lacked. Ever since the foster workers delivered those two to Levi's door step, he could tell that Eren would do amazing things someday. It was that bold personality that drove Levi to adopt them only a year later.

"Levi?" A hand waved in front of his face. "Earth to Levi!" Hanji had a stupid expression as they giggled. "You aren't usually spacy. What's up with that?" They asked with a slightly mocking air. Or maybe he just took it that way.

"Shut up already." He grumbled. "Just call the next person." They were wasting time like this. He could think about how to change his parenting style after they got their kids back.

"That's the problem." Hanji frowned this time, returning their gaze to the phone. "The next number doesn't exist anymore. It's probably the kidnappers. They must've disabled whatever phone they used to call you."

Erwin nodded beside them, looking far too calm for something like this. "That's what the police said. I was hoping they were wrong, but it seems we're out of luck." That sounded too final. Levi knew he wouldn't give up so easily.

Levi turned to his husband, searching his eyes for an answer but he couldn't find one. Those bright blue eyes were stormy and calculated. He was thinking of something, Levi knew it, but he had no idea how they planned to get back a phone number that no longer existed.

Before anyone could speak, the phone began buzzing and Levi turned back towards it, expecting one of their donators to ask about progress. He swiped the call button and held it up to his ear. "Levi Ackerman."

"Ah, Captain." He recognized that voice. "Put me on speaker, won't you?"

Levi didn't hesitate to do as he was asked. He pulled the phone away, pressed the little speaker button before answering. "Why are you calling?" Did something happen with the kids? Were the terms of their agreement falling through? It was just like these monsters to try and take the money while keeping the kids as well.

"Don't be so worried, Captain." The voice answered easily. He hated how calm it was. No one deserved to have this kind of power over them. "I'm simply calling to ask about your progress. It's your half-way point and I'd like to know if there were any changes to your agreement."

Good. So they weren't planning to change anything themselves. He could work with that.

Erwin gently took the phone from Levi's hand as he directed the conversation. He was better at this sort of thing anyway. Levi didn't think he could continue to talk with how bad he wanted to scream. Hanji took his hand for support, which he appreciated. "We have the money you wanted. We're ready to deliver it at any moment. Just give us the word."

"Well, hello, Commander Erwin." The voice chimed. "It's so nice to hear from you. And I'm glad to know that you've gotten what you were asked of. We can make the exchange by the end of the week. How does that sound?"

No. That was too late. Who knows what could happen to those kids between now and then. "I can't say that I like that." Erwin responded with a deceivingly steady voice. "Why can't we do it sooner? There's no point in waiting longer, is there?"

Of course there was! Those monsters wanted to hurt their kids all they could before handing them over. Levi didn't want to imagine what could possible have happened to them already.

"What's the rush, Commander? Are you afraid of what you might see when we release those children?" Hanji's hand gripped his tighter.

"I am." Erwin admitted. His face didn't change expressions at all, but Levi could see the slight hesitation in his eyes. "I'm terrified of what you did to them and I want them home as soon as humanly possible. We're defenseless against you." He took a pause to swallow hard, his throat bobbling. "You must understand that I can't allow to delay this any longer. I promise there will be no tricks. Just a simple exchange."

There was a long pause before the caller answered, the smirk on their face practically radiating from the speaker. "You really are good with words. It warms my heart to know that you worry all day and night." There was a clattering of some kind before they continued. "Alright. Tomorrow evening, we'll meet and do this little exchange. But I expect you to uphold your word when you say there will be no tricks. It will be me, you two and the children. Anyone else and we'll kill them on the spot. Does that sound fair?"

"Yes." Erwin nodded. "Send us a location and I promise it will only be us."

"Very well. I look forward to seeing you, Commander." Erwin's finger hovered over the call button, but he hesitated. "Oh, and Captain?" Levi didn't give a response. "I do home you love cleaning as much as the rumors say." With that, the line cut off, the automated voice saying that the number was no longer available. It didn't matter. They were going to whatever location they were given and go through with this exchange. But what did this mean about their plan?

"Erwin." Hanji asked softly. "You aren't going to let them win, are you? You're still going to use your plans...right?"

The blond slowly raised his head, a sigh falling from his mouth. "I will uphold my promise. The plans I had will no longer be used. The children's lives are more important now."

Levi didn't want to admit it, but he was hoping for the opposite response. It wasn't just that admitting defeat like this wounded his ego, but it would hurt others yet to come. If these people thought that they could get away with kidnapping their children and get away with it, then they would try it again. Other children would slowly disappear and others would be forced into this same situation. Levi couldn't allow that to happen, no matter how dangerous it was for them. They had to think of something.

"Levi and I will go alone and when we return, we will inform the police to close the case. I won't get involved with trying to arrest them or find their headquarters." Erwin turned to his husband, his eyes burning with passion and meaning. It was breathtaking to see, no matter how many times he saw it. "Levi." He started, both hands reaching out to hold his smaller ones. "Will you follow me?"

Reaching out in return, Levi laced his fingers through Erwin's. They were inseparable. "Yes." He said, believing it with his whole heart. He would follow this man to the ends of the earth.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry to always be hurting Armin like this. Things are really starting to pick up and I can't stop thinking of new ideas for this story! I absolutely love writing it and seeing the reviews people give me! It's amazing and I'm glad you guys are enjoying it!


	7. Chapter 7

Armin returned not long after the screaming stopped but unlike last time, he wasn't holding his hand. No, this time, both hands were covering his mouth and Eren felt his stomach drop.

"Armin!" He shouted as he rushed to his brother's side, his hands reaching out to catch him. It was a good call, because the blond fell to his kneels once he was within the room's walls. The door was still open, but it was guarded by the bad man who took him away the first time. Eren didn't like the smug look on his face, but he held himself back from shouting at him. He was still exhausted from his hunger and they needed to wait for the right time to escape. They needed more energy than this.

"Maybe next time, you'll keep your mouth shut." The bad guy snapped before shutting the door harshly, the sound ringing in Eren's ears for a while. As soon as the door latched closed, Armin let his hands fall away from his mouth and blood dripped down. Eren gasped, feeling that dread return from before.

Mikasa scooted to their side as well despite how weak she had been only moment before. She was breathing hard, but they both ignored that for the moment to instead focus on Armin's mouth.

"What did they do to you?!" Eren asked in a hushed shout, feeling anger twist with his concern. How dare they take him away and hurt him like this! If Daddy or Papa were here, they would definitely make those bad guys pay! That last thought came with a less friendly reminder that neither of their parents had come to rescue them yet. At this point, he doubted they ever would.

Armin ignored their worry as he started using the blood on his fingers to draw something out on the brick floor. His hands shook as he pressed made various different lines, each of them connecting to each other in long rectangular shapes. It took a short while before Eren started to understand what he was doing. It's a map! When he was out there, he was making a map of the area for them to escape!

"You're a genius, Armin!" Eren cheered, his arm wrapping around his brother's shoulders. What on earth would they do without him?! But Armin shrugged him off with a soft grunt as he continued to dip his hand into his mouth and then continued with the map. It was gross and Papa would've probably gagged at it, but this was the only way they could survive. He could apologize to Papa later, when they returned home.

Mikasa pressed closer to Eren's shoulder as she looked over the map. It was nearly complete -or, Eren thought it probably was- but there were still a few other cubes the blond was drawing in along the largest rectangle. "What's that?" She asked in a soft voice as she tapped the long rectangle with her index finger.

Finally, Armin sat back and wiped his mouth off on his sweater sleeve, the blood smearing across his cheek. "Iz t-the hall." He said carefully, his face cringing whenever his tongue moved. Eren couldn't help but stare as how much red was in Armin's mouth. He looked away when he saw the source of it, his anger rising again. They cut his tongue. It hurts for him to talk now.

"The one outside?" Mikasa asked as she looked towards the door, her lips turning down in a frown. "And what about those boxes?"

"Roomz." He said, pointing to a few of them. "They...t-they have differ-rent thingz." That last word looked the most painful to say, telling by how Armin whined and held his mouth afterward.

Deciding to step up and fix this issue, Eren perked up. "I have an Idea!" He smiled as he looked between his siblings. "We'll just do yes or no questions and Armin can either shake his head or nod to answer!"

No one protested to that. If anything, they seemed relieved to change things up a little. Armin continued to hold his jaw as they started again.

"What kind of room is that?" Mikasa asked, pointing to the one just down the hall. It was bigger than most of the other ones Armin drew. "Is it a storage area?" Eren apricated how she reframed the question. Maybe this really was going to work out after all.

Armin thought on that for a moment before making a so-so motion with his hand. That meant it probably wasn't a main storage area, but it had stuff like that in it! Most villain hideouts had areas like that.

"Is it were the bad people hang out? Like the goons and stuff?" Eren pipped up, starting to form a picture in his mind. It felt kind of like a super hero movie, but way worse only because there was no hero coming to save them. They had to save themselves.

The boy nodded at that, his eyes lighting up slightly. The questions continued as both Eren and Mikasa asked about various different places, trying to guess where things were and what was inside of each. By the end of it, they had discovered that the hall just outside their door lead to the main area where their food came from, as well as -hopefully- an exit. There were other cells as well, which was something Armin seemed like he had more to say about, but was kept for later. If there were other kids like them, then they could come back once they got Papa and Daddy's help. They had a whole army with them, after all!

Mikasa sat forward towards the end of the conversation, laying back on the floor to preserve more energy. "What about the food?" She asked in a faint voice. "Did you find any?"

When Armin's eyes lit up, Eren felt his entire body relax. That was the most important part of that mission, even more so than the map, in Eren's opinion. If they couldn't run away, then there was no use for knowing where to go. They needed to be able to fight and food was the way to go. Slowly, the boy slipped his hand under his sweater and as he pulled it out again, he drew out two whole potatoes. They looked big in his small hands, which only made it more appetizing.

Mikasa and Eren both reached out for one. It felt so firm in his hand. It was raw, but raw was better than nothing at all! Besides, Papa never mentioned raw potatoes being bad before, so it was probably fine. They both held it up to take a bit but just as Mikasa stared to eat, Eren hesitated. Wait. This was for her, right? Because she couldn't eat the gross bread without being sick.

"Can I eat this?" He asked Armin in a pitiful voice. He wanted to, so badly. His stomach fluttered at just the thought of having the whole potato to himself, but he couldn't be selfish in a time like this.

Much to his surprise, Armin nodded encouragingly. That was all Eren needed before he too started taking out bites and chewing them. It tasted a little dirty and sometimes, his teeth would grind on something hard, but he ate through it anyway. It was better than a single portion of stale bread, that was for sure. Besides, this had some juice to it as well, which helped his mouth feel a little less dry.

Before they could eat through more than half of it, Armin stopped them, pulling the two potatoes away. Mikasa nearly fought him for a moment, but evens he had to let it go. "Save it." Armin said as he slowly wrapped them up in the old cape. "More to-tomorrow." Eren didn't miss how he stared at the half eaten potatoes for a second more before sliding them in the driest place he could find. He was probably starving, even more so than Eren and Mikasa were, yet he was the one who had to make sure that they didn't eat the food he got them too quickly.

Mikasa lay back again, her eyes beginning to close for a bit of resting. Eren didn't join her, instead leaning against the far wall as he enjoyed the slightly full feeling in his stomach. That was the most he had eaten in forever. He couldn't even remember how it felt to not be hungry, but this was as close as he was going to get and he had to admit, it felt great.

Eren fell asleep before he even realized it and when he dreamt, they were about his old friends and eating dinner with his family. The faces he saw on his parents were of Papa and Dad, but his biological parents. The ones that he knew nothing about besides the fact that they loved him enough to die for him.

...

Erwin tried to think of anything but the events that would occur tomorrow. He needed sleep to properly function and he if he let his exhaustion get in the way of getting his children back, then he would never forgive himself. Levi wouldn't either.

"You need to shut up." The short man muttered sleepily. "If you keep thinking so loud, then neither of us will be able to sleep."

"I apologize." Erwin whispered, suddenly feeling so much more awake than he just had. This wasn't going very well at all. "I just...I almost don't want to know what they look like right now. I don't want to know what's happened to them."

Levi turned around at this, the bed shifting with his movements until he was facing his husband. There was a tired scowl on his face that only ever appeared when Erwin was really talking nonsense. "It's been a week and a half. They couldn't have changed too much." Oh, the arguments Erwin could think of in that moment. He decided to keep them to himself, just to save his place in the bed.

Neither of them looked away from each other. It didn't feel like a challenge as much as a secret conversation that neither of them were willing to start. Levi's eyes said so much yet so little at the same time. He was tired but walked to talk this through. He also wanted Erwin to finally shut up and go to bed so that they could both do their duties. With a sigh, Erwin finally broke it, though his gaze didn't leave for a moment. "I don't have a plan, Levi. I've left it up to someone else to figure out and I know someone will, but..." There's no stopping those people from changing the agreement.

Out of everything, that was what he worried about the most. What if they suddenly decided to take the money and kill their children in front of them, jus to make a point. They wouldn't survive to see the next day if they did, but that wouldn't change the fact that they were once again childless and permanently so, in that case. There was so much more he wanted from those three. He had yet to help Armin finish that book and he longed to see the amazement in those bright eyes. They shinned the same way his mother's would whenever she looked at something beautiful. He didn't want to loose his chance to watch his son grow up.

What would Eren and Mikasa do when they were older? He could picture the former going into some sort of sports while the young girl would go into an arts class of some kind. That, or she could learn martial arts with Levi. That could be something for all of them to do, as a family. And what if they wanted to date or start learning how the world of love worked? Would they support them in each relationship, or would rules have to be set? Where was the line between being a good parent and becoming too strict?

How could he ever hope to learn this without children in the first place?

"Hey." Levi broke his miserable train of thought. "As much as I hate the Military Police, they aren't idiots. Once they find the right information, then everyone involved will get arrested before the sun sets. Easy as that."

It wasn't. Nile was a smart man, but he couldn't put the pieces together like Erwin could. If anything, he was hoping Pixis would take charge of this situation. He was a trusting man but knew when he was lied to. He knew people better than anyone and that was they needed. But could even Pixis gather the clues Erwin was leaving behind? He wasn't sure who to trust anymore.

"Levi." Erwin whispered suddenly, a new thought coming to his mind. One more terrifying than the last. "What if they need to go to the hospital?"

It wasn't an outrageous idea. It would be wise to send them there just to make sure nothing had happened to them, but something in the back of Erwin's mind said that they wouldn't be okay. They would need to stay in the hospital over night, possibly. They didn't have the money for that.

For the first time that night, Levi didn't look tired anymore. His eyes widened slightly before shrinking back into their neutral gaze. He was getting better at schooling his emotions in their situation, though, it was still difficult. Looking away, the shorter man thought it through. "I...We can't afford that right now." He echoed Erwin's thoughts. "Even a prescription will be difficult to handle and an overnight visit..." Although he didn't say anything, Erwin completely understood. What were they supposed to do?

"We could put Hanji on standby." Erwin started, thinking aloud more than actually strategizing. "They're good with medicines and finding quick fixes to our problems. If we're lucky, they won't need anything beyond that."

"And if they do?" Levi asked, now starting to challenge his ideas. It was helpful in their field of work, but in this moment, it felt like an accusation.

"We can prepare for the likely hood of them being dehydrated and starved. It's the most likely and anything beyond that will be Hanji's call. If they end up in the hospital, then we'll figure it out." He hated using that word, simply because it always hid the fact that he had no plans, but what could he do? They had used up all of their resources trying to get the first sum of money and asking for more would be like stealing from their friends. Mike, Hanji, Moblit, Nanaba, and even the children's friends had helped them to raise money. There was no one else to call upon besides strangers, and they didn't have time to set up another fundraiser.

Slowly, Levi gathered Erwin's hand into his own. Pale lips pressed onto each knuckle until the man finally opened his eyes again. When he spoke, his words were sincere and gentle. "I'll follow you." He whispered it. "Wherever you need me, I'll be there."

He had Levi by his side and in the worst of times, that was all he could ask for. They just had to have faith that the children would be okay.

...

Mikasa woke up early. Or late. She couldn't exactly tell anymore.

She grabbed one of the potatoes from the cape and looked at it hungrily. Her stomach felt worlds better than it had, but hunger was a monster that always returned no matter how much she ate, so today, she would have breakfast. Grabbing the second potato, she crawled back to where she had been previously and nudged Eren's shoulder. The boy grumbled from the feeling, his eyes fluttering angrily at her as he woke up, but that mean look disappeared as soon as he saw the peace offering. He grabbed it from her and began tearing off large pieces to chew.

Sitting down in her own spot, Mikasa took smaller pieces into her own mouth, loving how starchy it tasted. She had never really liked raw potatoes before now, but she was starting to think that they were her favorite food. The way it could break into charge chunks and make her actually work out her jaw for once. How it had the slightest bit of moister to it so that she could finally wet her dry tongue. The way it filled her stomach with something good and healthy.

Eren finished eating first, patting his stomach with a wide smile. Mikasa giggled to herself from the sight, knowing that his stomach probably hadn't gotten any bigger. He stopped for a moment to look back at her, surprise in his expression, but then he smiled again. This one wasn't nearly as goofy, but it still made her feel warm in their cold room.

Mikasa turned her gaze towards Armin next, but her smile fell when she saw him. He was still asleep, which wasn't really an issue, but he was also shivering and panting softly. The area under his eyes was a dark color, making him look exhausted even as he slept. His arms were pulled close to his body and her kneels pressed against his chest. He looked dead and the idea of that scared her. A lot.

Slowly, Mikasa crawled towards him and once she was close enough, she started shaking his shoulders gently. "Armin?" She asked in a half whispered voice. Her throat still hurt despite the food she had eaten, but it was manageable now. "Are you awake?"

When he didn't answer, she shook him again. Eren crawled up next to her, his own expression matching hers as he too tried to wake Armin. "Come on!" He furrowed his eyebrows in frustration. "We're gonna leave to day, but we need you. You have to help us out of here so we can see Daddy and Papa, okay?" He shook him again, more violently this time. Mikasa almost told him to stop, but she knew that being gentle wasn't going to get them anywhere at the moment. "Don't you wanna see them again?"

Finally, Armin started to groan as his eyes opened, but never really got further than half way. He looked even more tired now that he was awake and Mikasa felt like apologizing but didn't. She felt energized and was ready to run as fast as she could. She could only hope that Eren felt the same way.

"Hm?" Armin hummed softly as he curled further into himself, his shoulders beginning to shake again. "Wha'..." He coughed twice, a few dots of blood coming up as well, but Mikasa knew it was just from his tongue. Coughing blood was something very bad, she knew that first hand. When her Mama started coughing blood after getting stabbed, it meant Mikasa was never going to see her again. But this blood was different. She reminded herself of that to calm her nerves.

"You have to get up so that we can go home." Eren repeated as he shook Armin again. This time, it wasn't necessary and Mikasa gently pulled the older boy's hand away, giving him a stern look when he tried to protest. Armin didn't have the same energy that they did. He hadn't eaten in a really long time and it showed on the way that he held himself tightly. His eyes were unfocused, almost as if he couldn't see them at all.

With the held of the wall behind them, Armin tried to push himself up, but began falling forward instead. Mikasa held him up with gentle hands, her concern growing now. He needed something to eat, but they didn't have anything left. They didn't have any water either, which was a problem. But maybe, if they managed to get out soon enough, then they could ask for something while they tried to find a phone. Or they could tell Papa and Dad to bring them some food and water when they found them. Yeah, that was a good plan. They could do that.

With Mikasa's Help, Armin managed to get to the door and let out a heavy breath. She wasn't sure if he could even shout, let alone start makin the noise he had yesterday. He looked tired, so tired, but there was nothing she could do about it. He had to be the one to get their attention so that they would take him outside first, then she and Eren could run out. They'd waste too much energy otherwise.

But it pained her to watch Armin raise his hand shakily, as if the slightest pressure could knock it back down. He steadied himself slightly as he prepared for what he was about to do, sucking in a large breath as he brought his hand up. But just before it could land on the door, the latch clicked and the door opened slowly.

Mikasa had to pull Armin away to avoid them getting hit and once they were in the view of the opening, they saw the first man that took them. He had a smirk on his lips that made her feel like standing up and punching him wherever she could reach, but she held back.

"Well, well." He chuckled. "Looks like I caught you guys just in time." Mikasa's stomach sank. "Well, it's your lucky day, Brats." His smirk grew and the woman behind him -when had she gotten there- held up the pack of zip ties. "Good old Commander Erwin came to your rescue."

Wait.

Daddy came for them?

They were really going home?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just so that you guys know, the sleep schedule of the kids doesn't match with the adults. I read something about the human body's natural sleep schedule, and it said that the body will sleep in shorter periods of time but more often. Meaning that the kids sleep in two four hour shifts each night and wake up in between. So it's the next day's evening for both of them, but the kids felt like it was days longer, even though it wasn't. Just to clear up confusion before it starts.
> 
> Also, next chapter may be very long, so be warned. I'm super excited to write it out because I've been thinking of how to do it since the beginning! I'm so excited for this!


	8. Chapter 8

Everything passed in a blur as the three children walked down the hall, their hands freshly restrained again. Armin could only think of how exhausted he felt.

With each step he took, his knees threatened to give in and let him fall to the floor. His legs shook with the weight of his own body and the effort it took to simply breath made him feel like suffocating. His lungs wheezed and croaked with every intake and he swore that he wasn't getting nearly as much oxygen as he was pushing out. It made him light headed and if he could speak, he would've begged them to stop for even a moment.

Mikasa and Eren didn't fight just yet, going willingly with the people behind them. Armin only caught a few of the concerned glances they shot his way, but it wasn't as if he could say anything to make then disappear.

Just as they walked into the main room that Armin went into yesterday, the man behind them stopped them. More bad guys came walking towards them, a similar smug look on each of their faced. Armin was just glad to have a moment to catch his breath; though, even standing had started to feel like too much now.

"Listen up, Brats." The first man said as he took Eren by the shoulder. The boy glared at him but didn't say anything, likely in fear of loosing their only chance at going home. "You're precious parents will be coming by soon to get their prize, but until then, we'll take whatever we can get from you three."

Whatever they could get? What was that supposed to mean?

The first man nodded to the others and as if by magic, various different tools appearing in their hands. One held a pair of scissors that were typically seen at the barber's shop. Another had two different pairs of pliers and the last had more ropes and potato sacks. Armin felt dread creep over him but it was shoved away when a coughing fit overtook him, making him double over with the effort it took. He gasped and panted as the tickle in the back of his throat refused to leave.

They ignored him in favor of grabbing Mikasa, dragging her over in the direction of the kitchen. Armin could barely see through the tears in his eyes as he gasped on his breath, trying to find that steady pace again. He had to breathe.

"Let her go!" Eren shouted from somewhere else in the room. "If you don't, I'll-" He stopped after a hard smacking sound came from the same place.

"Don't be too jealous, Boy. You'll be having a similar treatment." Another smack and this time, Armin could tell that Eren had fallen to the floor. They were going to beat him, weren't they.

The world began to spin as Armin slowly sank to his side, his mind fogging with exhaustion and his vision going bright and dark at the same time. White spots danced across his vision and he felt nauseous, but he was too tired to do anything about it. He was so...so tired.

"Mikasa!" Someone shouted again. "Do-...-her!"

What were they saying?

"Wash that off and wrap it up." Someone else said just above him. "This one's too filthy to really sell anyway."

There were more sounds of struggling but every time words tried to creep into Armin's consciousness, it was stopped by another cry of pain or a harsh thud. Something shrilled in his subconscious, telling him to just get up and fight, but he couldn't. He had never been a fighter no matter the opponents he faced. He was a coward and a liar. He pretended that he was smart by not fighting, but it was clear in this situation that he wasn't. He wasn't smart at all. Only weak.

As the world turned dark, Armin saw two legs walk towards him, kneeling down at some point in front of him, but he fell asleep before he could find out what they were doing to him.

...

Erwin couldn't think of anything besides his very real urge to just scream. It was exactly one hour until they were supposed to be at their meeting place and yet, things were still falling apart. He had yet to get confirmation from either Nile or Pixis about the plans he left behind for them, which was worrying to say the least, but that wasn't the biggest issue they had. He could always trust that they would figure it out just in time, as they always seemed to do.

No, the biggest issue was what they planned to do with their children as soon as they got them back.

"I'm a scientist, Levi. Not a doctor!" Hanji huffed out as they threw their hands into the air. "I don't know the first thing about curing severe dehydration or starvation!"

"You took four years in nursing!" He argued. "How do you know nothing about this stuff!"

"It wasn't nursing!" Hanji argued right back. Despite their loud and rude tone, Erwin could see that they were scared of the responsibility being put on them. The fate of their children rested in Hanji's hands. "It was a detailed anatomy class for my internship at the morgue! Besides, diagnosing a dead person is way easier than three living children!"

Levi glared at them, his height doing nothing to sooth his intimidating stare. "Then what do you suggest we do about them?! We can't be going that far into debt, Hanji! We'll loose everything!"

Thankfully, Moblit seemed to have an idea. He wasn't necessarily the smarter of the pair, but he had much more common sense than Hanji could dream of. That, or he just followed his conscious. "I think I have an idea." He interjected. "Hanji and I will stay here and prepare for you in any way we can while you focus on getting them back. I've written hundreds of medical research papers in my years and something will have to add up to be enough. Even if they're half their original weight, we should be able to nurse them back to health over time."

"Moblit!" Hanji looked at their partner in betrayal. "Do you really want to risk these kids' lives on our limited knowledge?!"

The man didn't waver this time. "I know someone who's worked at the pharmacy for three years now. If I can get a few prescriptions from them, as well as some equipment from our labs, then we shouldn't have an issue." When Hanji opened their mouth to argue, their husband looked unusually stern. "In an ideal world, we would be able to pay off the hospital bills, but we aren't living in that world right now! Admitting those kids into the hospital even over night could easily add up to the same numbers we were just trying to get for their ransom!"

He had a point. Erwin had done the math himself and even the bare minimum would cost them a fortune. They were already going to be struggling for the next year or so as it was. They really couldn't afford debt at this time, no matter how badly they needed the treatments.

If anything, Erwin was very lucky to have such brilliant friends. With their full team, Moblit and Hanji were sure to find a good set up for their children. Erwin only hopped that they wouldn't need it as badly as they feared. He didn't want to see his children with nothing more than skin on their bones. He didn't want to imagine them hurt and too weak to even stand.

Levi relented with a sign, nodding in thanks to Moblit. "I'm sorry for putting you two through this, but we have no other options. If it weren't for you're help...Thanks." Even he didn't want to picture the worse case scenario because any of those options could very well become reality.

Hanji gave the shorter man a large hug, something that was dangerous for anyone else by them and Erwin. "Just make sure that they come home safe, okay?" They whispered. "I can't loose the play dates we had."

"I promise." Levi whispered back, the emotion in his tone working as the only real sign that he apricated the hug.

Finally, after what felt like years, Erwin took the two of them to their car, their friends waving them off as they left. Now, came the hard part -not that any of the earlier parts weren't difficult beyond reason. They had to keep calm through this encounter otherwise they risked loosing everything. If they slipped up now, then there would be no do-overs. Despite how often this sort of thing happened in Erwin's line of word as the Commander, he found that this situation was far different than any other he had faced. He wasn't leading troops into battle, hopping to find a strategy that would let them conquer the battle field. They were trying to take their children back from people who were far more powerful at the moment. They would have to submit their own will to someone else.

The area was far from any civilization, landing them at an old, abandoned docking port that had stopped running years after the wars ended. It had been used to send out submarines to their enemies' coasts. Now, there was no use for them besides storing old parts and machines they hoped to never use again. The area was made before Erwin was even born, yet it still felt nostalgic for him to visit, somehow.

One last look at his phone told Erwin that they were exactly where they needed to be. It was only three minutes before their agreed time, but something told him that being early didn't really matter in this situation. There was no train to catch or a party to attend. They were playing on the enemy's field and thus, by their rules. They could start as late as they wanted.

Thirty minutes passed where the pair did nothing but stand there, their fingers interlocked with one another's as they waited anxiously. Neither of them said a word, fearing that it would lead to their worst fears. It was illogical, especially with how talking always seemed to calm Erwin's nerves, but it didn't matter. Nothing was logical when fears of this sort came into play.

"Welcome, Commander Erwin!" A voice called from ahead and as soon as they heard it, Erwin could see the figure walking towards them. There was someone else beside them and the smaller shapes below that. The sun was shinning in just the way to block his view. All he could make out were the shapes. "And Captain Levi!" The voice added with a chuckle. "I'm so happy to see that you could make it!"

"We have what you want." Erwin called before his husband could make a retort. He knew what he had to say to play this out right and although he typically didn't mind the man's bad mouth, this was no time for it. "We'll hand it over."

The figures got closer and closer until they were only two meters away. Finally, he could see the people in front of him and his eyes immediately traveled to the man in front of them. He was an average height, but dressed like a millionaire. He had an average face but the look in his eyes was dangerous.

The man beside him was larger but Levi could easily take him out with a calculated swipe to the throat. He could almost see it now, how his husband could nearly fly through the air and take the man down without so much as a shout coming from his lips. But that was against their agreement. Erwin wouldn't let Levi attack them today.

Erwin's gaze finally traveled down to the three figures below them and his heart jumped into his throat. He had to restrain himself from cursing aloud. Despite the bags on their heads, he could tell that they were his children. They were wearing the same clothes they had been before he and Levi left for work. Eren even had the red cape tied around his neck.

The differences between then and now stuck out like a soar thumb, however. Although he couldn't see their faces, he could tell that they were likely gagged. His children would've shouted something by now and they were standing too still to be drugged. Eren, the tallest of the three, was nearly entirely covered in filth. His white shirt had turned dark with all the smudges and the key around his neck was gone. His shoulders were hunched slightly but his arms were tied behind his back. Erwin could spot all of the dark bruises across his skin and each one made his anger flair higher. How dare they hurt Eren like this.

Mikasa had a few bruises as well, though, they didn't look like they came from a beating like Eren's had. Hers were only around the upper arm and her shoulders. Her dress was also dark and muddy with dirt, the very edges nearly black, but the most alarming part was that she was missing her shawl. She didn't usually get so cold, but it had been something she liked to wear with each of her outfits. It made her feel pretty and she always twirled around to show him when she put it on. He would get her a new one as soon as he could.

The last child looked similar to the other two, but Erwin was relieved to see that he didn't have any dark bruises like the others. His clothes were so filthy, that it was difficult to see the patters on his sweater and the smudged blood stains didn't go unnoticed. His stomach flipped at the possibilities there, but since he couldn't see anything, there was no point in panicking now. If it was anything serious, then Hanji and Moblit could handle it. And as it stood now, he would make sure that the people who did it would pay for it.

"Since you took so long to get what we asked for, we had to take as much from the children as we could salvage." The man placed a hand on Eren's shoulder and the boy writhed away. Good. That meant that Eren okay. The man didn't seem effected by the rude gesture and continued talking. "We were just about to sell them off to someone else, honestly."

Erwin felt Levi tense next to him and the taller man would be lying if he had said that he didn't tense up as well. They were going to sell them. They were going to sell their children and he had an idea of where. He thanked his lucky stars that things turned out the way they had. He wouldn't have been able to live with himself.

"So, do you have the money? Or are we going to continue standing around?" The man tapped his foot.

Letting go of Levi's hand for just a moment, Erwin reached down to grab the suitcase they had brought with them. He held it up on one arm and opened it with the other, showing them the stacks of money they had gathered. It was a pain, trying to convert it all into physical money, but it was worth the trouble. Anything was worth getting their children back, and they were so close.

The man looked them over for a moment before gesturing towards the larger man behind him. "Grab the case and hand it to me. I want to make sure it's what we agreed on before we hand the brats over."

Erwin didn't move as the larger man marched towards them. He was obviously making his steps rumble more than they would naturally, likely to try and intimidate them, but he had seen worse things than strong men. He had fought against things far worse and won.

The larger man snapped the suitcase shut before taking it over this his leader, opening it again once it was in his hands. The first man looked through the piles, his expression interested as he counted through them. It took a moment, but finally, he looked up again with a wide smile. "Well, well, well!" He laughed. "I should've expected this from the Commander himself!" He closed the suitcase again and set it down beside him, close to where Eren was standing. "Each child, paid in full. Honestly, it's a shame we can't do business like this regularly."

"If you have what you want, then return the children and we can leave." Erwin was starting to feel impatient. It was dangerous enough that they handed over the money before getting the children back. He had to ensure that no one tried to twist their agreement. They couldn't afford that now.

The man looked way and nodded to his assistant. The larger man then grunted in reply and grabbed each of the children by their shoulders and threw them forward. Levi rushed to grab them, more on instinct than any actual cognitive decision. He caught them before they could fall onto their stomachs and cradled their faced into his chest. The four of them moved back to stand with Erwin and he could no longer keep himself calm and calculated. His hands reached out to circle around them while Levi pulled the disgusting sacks off of their heads. Erwin's heart dropped when he saw just what was hiding beneath.

They were all gagged, like Erwin had thought, with tears streaming down their faces as well. Mikasa's hair was cut short, her dark locks pointing out in every direction. It looked horrible and the dark smudges almost completely covering her face and neck made it all worse. She was filthy, so filthy and she was crying. They took her favorite shawl and now this?

Eren wasn't much better. From around the gag, Erwin could see that the boy was missing a few teeth and the gaps were still bleeding as he cried. His face had a few dark bruises, especially around his right eye, as well as a trail of blood coming from his nose, but it was difficult to tell whether it was recent or not because of the dirt caked onto his skin. His hair was also in a mess, but at least it looked like it hadn't been cut. It still enraged Erwin to see his shinning and bold son look up at them in fear. How dare they hurt their poor boy like this.

Armin was the most worrying of the three, although, it was only really because of how little emotion he showed. He wasn't staring at them with wide eyes like the other two. Instead, those bright, blue eyes were clouded and dulled as he just stared. It was almost as it he couldn't see them at all. The boy's hair had turned almost as brown as Eren's from the dirt in it. He also had blood stained between his teeth, but Erwin couldn't find am immediate reason for it based off of his first look. It was clear that all three of them had been starved with how their bones seemed to press against their skin but what was the extent of it? How far had things gotten without Erwin's knowledge?

When Erwin turned to look at his husband's expression, he saw that Levi was shaking as he just stared at them. There was so much pain in the shorter man's eyes and it was about time that they did something about it.

"We'll take our leave." Erwin managed to get out as he pulled their family back, wanting to return them home sooner rather than later. Who knew what kinds of medical treatment they'd need.

But before they could get too far, Erwin felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He didn't have to look at it to know who it was, because from the distance, he could see the top of a dark blue van. For the first time all day, Erwin felt his heart raise in joy as he rushed them further away from those monsters. Pixis had picked up their message.

"Hey!" The man shouted from behind them. Erwin let Levi take the children the rest of the way back to their car as he looked back. "What's this?! You said there wasn't a plan!"

Now that they were no longer in danger of loosing their family, Erwin could stand strong and confidently. "There wasn't. I didn't send for anyone to follow us, but I didn't stop them either."

The two men looked at each other before breaking out into a sprint, heading in the direction they had come. They wouldn't get far. Erwin could trust that Pixis had the entire place surrounded. He only hopped that they found the rest of the people working in this organization. It would take more than two thugs to kidnap their children.

...

Levi only stopped once they had reached the car. Just as Erwin had hoped, someone came with backup to arrest these people and if they missed anything, his husband would figure it out. Levi could trust Erwin to handle this part of their investigation while he focused on the kids' health.

Once he untied the gags around their mouth and cut the zip ties from their hands -what monster would zip tie a child's hands?!- those small arms came to wrap around him. Eren hugged him tightly as he sobbed freely now. He was leaving smudges all over Levi's shirt, but for the first time, he really didn't care. Mikasa joined him and Armin just leaned close. They had to get them back home to Hanji soon.

"Papa!" Eren sobbed. "Papa!"

Levi held the boy's head and kissed his hair as he tried to keep himself calm. "Eren..." It was all he could bring himself to say. He was so overcome with pure joy that he couldn't trust himself to speak. His children were okay. They were alive and they'd be home soon. They could eat dinner together and watch as many cartoons as they wanted. He could even sew them new capes to wear around while pretending they were heroes. If he had the money, he would buy them each a toy or get them treats, but he didn't.

"Papa, I'm so hungry!" Eren whined. Mikasa nodded along with him as she looked up. Levi still couldn't quite believe that all of her hair was gone save for the little tufts around her head. He could fix it somehow, but it wouldn't be the same. He wouldn't be able to tie it up like she wanted or twist it into little buns when she went to school.

"We can get you some food, alright?" Levi swallowed around the lump in his throat as he tried to move them towards the backseat of the car. Hanji was waiting for them and they needed medical attention immediately. But just as he opened the back seat door, Eren started to hug him tighter as he cried harder. "Eren?" Levi looked down, his heart aching from the sight alone.

The boy sniffed as he squeezed tighter. "I'm sorry, Papa! I didn't mean to make all of this happen! They sa-said that you needed to see us! I thought you were going to be mad, so I went in the car!"

Levi couldn't speak again. He couldn't find the words to comfort his son despite how badly he wanted to. It was their fault for leaving the children alone. If they had just been there, then nothing would've happened. Nothing would've happened to them.

"I'm sorry I didn't stop them." Mikasa added as she looked away in shame. Her lower lip stuck out slightly as more tears fell down her face, making little paths through the dirt on her cheeks. "I shouldn't have let Eren go."

"No." He forced the word out. Both children stared up at him. "None of this is your fault. How were you supposed to know better?" They were only five! He wasn't going to let them apologize for getting hurt. He wasn't going to let them feel shame for someone else's crimes.

None of them responded but the tears didn't stop. Levi knelt down to look at them at eye level, his look stern but not mean. "Eren, this isn't your fault. I...I'd never be angry with you for this. Same goes for you, Mikasa." He looked at the poor girl. She had never been one to cry easily, even when she was in trouble. "I love you so much."

He couldn't be sure if his words meant anything to them, but at least he could help them to be free of the guilt as time progressed. He would get them therapy and would do all he could to help them now, rather than let this come up later in their teens. He would do anything they wanted.

Finally standing up again, Levi lead Eren to get into the car first. The boy was reluctant to let go, but he did eventually climb in. Armin followed after him, his movements slow and shaky, as if he were going to pass out at any moment. Mikasa filed in after and she buckled up as well, always the example. They really had to get back soon.

Just as Levi was about to close the door, Eren reached over, his eyes wide again. "Papa! Don't leave!" He begged. "I don't wanna be alone!"

"I won't leave, Eren. I promise." He was never going to make that mistake again. "I'm just going to see if Daddy's coming, okay?" He hoped Erwin was on his way. He didn't want to wait for him. And if he had to, he could always drive them home himself. Erwin could get a ride with one of Pixis's officers or something.

When Levi didn't see Erwin, he decided to go with the last option. They didn't have time to wait right now.

Getting into the driver's seat, Levi took a moment to look through their glove compartment for any extra snacks or water bottles. Much to his surprise, there was one more packet of fruit snacks and a single bottle of water left. He offered both back to the three of them, making a note to himself to make them some food as soon as he handed them over to Hanji.

"This is all I have for now. Please share them between you." His eyes lingered on Armin through the mirror. The boy hadn't even said a word yet, let alone opened his mouth.

"Okay." Eren nodded as he opened the packet and much to Levi's surprise, offered them to Armin. The boy didn't respond at first, his gaze still hazy and empty, but after a soft shake to his shoulder, he looked at what Eren was holding and his eyes began to clear. Levi nearly broke down in tears when he saw some life return to those blue eyes and a small, blood stained hand came out to take the packet. There was something wrong there but he didn't have time to look into it. If his fingers were injured then he's tell Hanji to check for infections.

Levi took a second to send a text to Erwin that they were already leaving before finally pulling out of their parking space. The drive wouldn't be long, especially if he continued to push the speed limit a bit. They would be okay for now. They had to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna add one more scene but decided against it. Five thousand words is a bit much for one chapter as it is, so I'll just give you this. I didn't realize that this is the first time we've actually seen the parents with their kids in this story, which is a surprise. They deserve lots of love from now on. Get ready for all of the family fluff that's coming soon!
> 
> There is a second part coming out soon called Recovery, so watch out for that! The story isn't over!

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first try at a fic for this fandom and i have to say, this is an interesting start. I know that I don't usually write about other shows that aren't My Hero, but I just started watching this one again and felt inspired. I also know that I don't exactly need to start another series right now, seeing as I still have strew unfinished, but don't worry. I will get to all of them!


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